Mother of murdered baby charged with failure to report child abuse

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brianna Kristine Guest, 24, was arrested August 10 in Duval County and booked into the Alachua County Jail yesterday morning on charges of child neglect and failure to report child abuse. Guest is the mother of a 7-month-old infant who died last November; Keyshawn Bailey has been charged with premeditated homicide in the infant’s death.

According to Bailey’s arrest report, Bailey called 911 around noon on November 23, 2021, saying that he found the 7-month-old baby choking. When Gainesville Police Department (GPD) arrived, they observed a large hematoma on the back of the baby’s head and also saw a blanket with a brown stain that appeared to be blood. Bailey reportedly told officers that the blood belonged to the baby.

The baby was transported to Shands Pediatric ER, and a CT scan showed subdural hematomas on both sides of the head, a fractured skull, and brain swelling. Medical staff advised GPD that the baby was not likely to survive the injuries and that the injuries could only have been caused by blunt force to the baby’s head.

Guest was at work when Bailey called 911, and she reportedly told GPD that after she left for work, less than an hour before Bailey called 911, only Bailey, the baby, and a 3-year-old were in the residence.

Guest also reportedly showed GPD a photo of the baby with injuries to his nose, discoloration under his left eye, and scratches on his face, sent to her by Bailey on Friday, November 19, while she was at work. She showed GPD texts from Bailey, sent November 19, allegedly saying that the baby kept cutting himself; Bailey blamed something in the bassinet. Bailey also told her to cancel their weekend plans because “I’m tired of this baby.” Guest reportedly told officers that the baby had no other injuries besides the cut on his nose when she left for work yesterday morning, and she had no explanation for the new injury to his head.

Post Miranda, Bailey reportedly denied knowing anything about how the baby’s injuries occurred, saying he found the baby in his bassinet, choking on a white fluid. He later reportedly admitted to dropping the baby twice, but he denied that dropping the baby caused the injuries in the photo he sent to Guest. According to the arrest report, Bailey eventually admitted to causing the cut on the baby’s nose, saying he was play fighting and accidentally punched the baby with his knuckle, causing it to split and bleed. Bailey later reportedly admitted that he intentionally jabbed the baby in the face with his fist out of frustration, causing the injuries in the photo. He continued to say that he did not intentionally injure the baby on the day of the 911 call but did drop him.

Court documents allege that Guest neglected the child, failed to report acts of child abuse by the father of the child, and neglected to take the child for appropriate medical care. One document states, “The State’s position is that the murder of this child may potentially have been avoided had the instant defendant taken more steps to protect the child.”

Guest has no local criminal history and is being held on $225,000 bond. Her attorney has requested a reduction in her bond, based on her lack of criminal history or any allegation that she represents a threat to the community. A bond hearing is scheduled for August 24.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.