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Catherine Bannister, 30, of Ewing, had her elementary school teacher's certificate suspended indefinitely on May 14, according to the state Board of Education.
Her husband, Daniel Bannister, 32, was indicted on a murder charge while she was indicted on a charge of reckless manslaughter, after the couple's 3-month-old daughter Hailey died in December 2018, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. Both were charged with child endangerment.
The baby suffered a fractured skull, brain bleeding and fractured ribs, authorities said. She died six days after going into cardiac arrest.
An autopsy determined Hailey died from blunt-force trauma to the head after what authorities described as a “pattern of abuse.” Her wounds revealed ongoing injuries, visible from nine skull fractures, some of which showed signs of healing, authorities said.
That led investigators to determine she had been hit multiple times on different days, according to court documents. There also were signs she had been shaken, and four ribs fractured weeks before her death.
Catherine Bannister had her K-8 Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing, and Teacher of Elementary Grades K-8 Certificate suspended pending final resolution of criminal charges against her, according to this state order. Daniel Bannister was suspended from his job as a police officer in Ewing.
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