They say that dogs are a man’s best friend.
One couple from South Carolina found that to be true after their dog Killian saved their 7-month-old son, Finn, from an abusive babysitter.
Benjamin and Hope Jordan had hired 21-year-old Alexis Khan as their son’s caregiver after she cleared their background check, but little did they know, her clean record was little indication of her character.
“About five months into her being our babysitter, we started to notice that our dog was very protective of our son when she would come in the door,” Benjamin told local news. “He was very aggressive towards her, and a few times we actually had to physically restrain our dog from going towards her.”
Knowing that this was out of the ordinary for their otherwise warm and welcoming dog, the Charleston couple decided to investigate.
Before leaving the house, they left an iPhone under the couch to record Alexis, and her interactions with baby Finn.
The recording shockingly revealed disturbing scenarios of Alexis brutally slapping and beating the infant; cursing and swearing at him as his wailing changed from a distressed cry to a cry of pain.
The babysitter was charged and plead guilty to assault and battery. She was sentenced to three years in prison and will be banned from ever working with children again.
Benjamin and Hope believe that their dog may have saved Finn and other children from further abuse.
“Had our dog not alerted us to the trouble…it could have been Finn that was killed by the babysitter,” Benjamin said. “You never know.”
Not everyone has a hero dog who will save their child. The Jordan’s traumatic experience serves as a great reminder to always know who is caring for your kids. It can be hard to know who to trust—Benjamin and Hope believed they could trust Alexis. But thorough screenings or interviews, multiple references, and referrals from trusted friends or family members is a great place to start.
