Home caregiver charged with abusing 12-year-old boy with disabilities

A Moberly woman was charged Tuesday in Boone County court with abuse or neglect of a child after a Columbia family turned over video to the police of her physically and verbally abusing their child in their home.

According to a probable cause statement, the parents began video recording Stacey Robertson in late 2014 after they began to suspect abuse while they weren’t home.

The Columbia Police Department was notified of the videotapes on Feb. 15.

The parents told police that Robertson worked as a home health worker for their 12-year-old son, who has required around-the-clock care because of numerous medical conditions since 2007 or 2008. She took care of the child until Jan. 2015.

The probable cause statement said the video shows Robertson hitting the child in the face, dragging him across the floor and using vulgar language toward the child.

Investigators said the child was abused in September 2014 based on news broadcasts heard on the TV in the video recordings.

Robertson has bonded out of jail. Conditions of her bond include no contact with the family, anyone under the age of 17 and vulnerable persons.