A 62-year-old home nurse accused of child neglect has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to jail in Cape Coral.

Kelly Perrigo was arrested in February after an investigation was conducted by the child’s parents. They suspected Perrigo would intentionally not feed their sickened child, saying that surveillance cameras situated around the home would record her not completing her duties.

Perrigo was reportedly instructed to feed the baby a bottle and put any remaining formula into his feeding tube.

Instead, surveillance footage inside the home captured Perrigo feeding the baby for a few minutes, leaving the bedroom with a full bottle and dumping the rest of the formula down the sink.

When the Cape Coral Police Department began investigating Perrigo, she had informed them that the company she worked for, Team Select, a company whose website stated that it specializes in long-term adult care and long-term pediatric care, knew she didn’t have any experience with young children.

She also said she wasn’t sure of the child’s exact diagnosis, but knew he was a micro-preemie born at 24 weeks.

Perrigo appeared in court on Monday, where she pleaded guilty to her child neglect charges. During the court hearing, the mother of the infant spoke, saying that since the incident, the baby had undergone 12 surgeries and will have long-term issues because of the lack of nutrition in those early development years of his life. 

Perrigo will face one year in jail and must relinquish all her nursing licenses. 

Nicholas Karsen is a Digital Specialist and has been with WINK News since May 2023.