Bridgeview Babysitters Accused of Beating 2-Year-Old Boy

BRIDGEVIEW, IL — Two babysitters are accused of beating a two-year-old boy who was left in their care over the past several months. Vincent Cisneroz, 23, and Miranda Benner, 24, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on felony charges of aggravated battery to a child, causing great bodily harm. Cisneroz was charged with an additional felony count of aggravated battery when he tried to choke the boy’s mother, Lisa Olson, who was also charged for not reporting serious injuries the child had received earlier.

The prosecutor said that on July 13, the child’s mother hired her neighbors, Cisneroz and Benner, to babysit for her son and his 4-year-old brother. Olson and the couple lived in the same Bridgeview apartment complex in the 7400 block of West 71st Street, according to a police report. Olson began to notice bruises on her younger son whenever he returned from the couple’s care, the prosecutor said. At one point, Olson even took a picture of a bruise on her son’s face.

Around 8:10 p.m. Oct. 1, Olson called Bridgeview police to report that she had just been choked and tossed down a flight of stairs by Cisneroz when she arrived to pick up her children, the prosecutor said. Olson told police that Benner kept making excuses why she couldn’t come to pick up her children. When Olson showed up at the couple’s door, the prosecutor said Cisneroz punched her and put his hands around her neck, choking Olson until she passed out. Cisneroz allegedly shoved Olson down a flight of stairs.

During their investigation, police also learned from Olson that her two-year-old son had returned home around Sept. 27 or Sept. 28, after being in the couple’s care, with serious non-life threatening injuries that included bruises on the back of his head, chest, legs and arms, facial cuts and cauliflower ear. The child also had bruises around his penis, the prosecutor said.

Olson and her son were taken from the scene to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment of their injuries. Olson was also subsequently charged with one count of child endangerment for failing to report the abuse when it was observed days earlier. The prosecutor said that Cisneroz and Benner also made admissions to police of hitting the boy.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Cisneroz and Benner are married. They are no longer living in the apartment building, but are now staying with Cisneroz’s parents in Chicago, with whom Cisneroz’s daughter also lives. Benner is a graduate of Oak Lawn Community High School. Since January, she has been a stay-at-home mom after leaving her job as a trampoline facility operator. Cisneroz currently works at a Burbank gas station where he is in line for a promotion, according to the assistant public defender.

The prosecutor said that Cisneroz has convictions for DUI from 2014 and reckless conduct in 2013, for which he received supervision. Benner has no prior arrests.

“An indefensible two-year-old,” Felice said, looking at photos of the child’s injuries. “This is disgusting to this court.”

The judge set Cisneroz’s bail at $50,000 on the aggravated child battery charge, and $100,000 for the alleged aggravated battery against Olson. Bail for Benner was set at $30,000. Both are due back in court Oct. 26.

“I wish I hadn’t seen these pictures,” Felice said.