A series of videos posted online showing a nanny violently assaulting a newborn have sparked outrage in the Bay Area Chinese-speaking community. The nanny has allegedly fled to China and the Chinese American family who hired her is now speaking up to seek justice.
The incident happened in Hillsborough, a posh town on the Peninsula, according to the family. The baby’s mother, who requested that her name not be published to protect her privacy, is known as “Bay Area Mom D” on English and Chinese-language social media. She said she hired the Chinese caregiver in September shortly after their daughter was born.
In early October, she and her husband discovered surveillance footage showing the caregiver violently throwing the baby onto a bed, smothering her, and slapping her face and body.
“I welcomed my sweet baby girl into the world,” she posted on X in mid-November. “Sadly, we soon faced a devastating experience that I must share.”
The family said they immediately terminated the contract with the nanny after learning about the abuse and filed a police report in late October after they obtained the footage. They posted the disturbing videos on the Chinese social media Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and other platforms, shocking the Chinese-speaking world. More than 30,000 people have signed an online petition urging U.S. officials to investigate.
The family said the caregiver has already reportedly fled to China. The baby is now under medical care.
The Hillsborough Police Department confirmed they received the report and said investigators have reviewed video evidence depicting multiple instances of suspected child abuse.
Police didn’t disclose the suspect’s identity but said they knew her information, and hinted that she is out of the country as they are “collaborating with federal law enforcement agencies to locate and interview” her.
The department also said it had noticed the surveillance footage circulating online and reminded the public that sharing such content could compromise the integrity of the investigation and cause additional distress to viewers and those involved. The department is believed to have obtained more video evidence showing the abuse.
The Chinese consulate in San Francisco said in a statement that it’s aware of the incident and is “maintaining close communication with relevant parties and providing necessary assistance” to the investigation.
It’s common practice in the Bay Area Chinese immigrant community to hire nannies from China to take care of babies, and it has become a lucrative business. The baby’s mother wrote in posts on social media that she later learned the caregiver’s daughter had recommended her mother to work for the family. The daughter reportedly works for a major social media tech firm and lives in Fremont. Fremont police said this case does not fall under their jurisdiction.
While she waits for news on the investigation, the baby’s mother has continued to post updates online.
“Another sleepless night,” she posted in Chinese on social media. “Please keep paying attention and speaking out so that the case can be taken seriously.”