Kansas babysitter escapes custody after infant's drug-related death

A Kansas babysitter, Amanda Vinardi, escaped from a drug treatment facility while facing charges related to the death of a four-month-old baby, Elijah Wedel. The infant was found with meth and amphetamines in his system. Vinardi disappeared from the Miracles Inc. facility in Wichita on March 4, after failing to attend a class. A warrant for her arrest was issued on Tuesday, adding an escape charge to her existing charges. Elijah died in April 2024 while under Vinardi's care. His mother described the traumatic experience of seeing her son in the hospital. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office is actively searching for Vinardi.