LYNN — Five female teens were arraigned on witness intimidation charges on Tuesday, a week after two Swampscott teenage girls were arrested after posting themselves on Snapchat putting a baby in a refrigerator while they were babysitting in Danvers.
The five were arraigned in Lynn Juvenile Court on charges of intimidating a witness connected to the child endangerment case, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
The case stems from a video shared online that appears to show the two Swampscott teenagers laughing while placing a crying baby in a refrigerator and closing the door. The two were arrested by Danvers Police last week and charged with child endangerment and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.
One of the girls charged last week in the Danvers case was arraigned on the new charge Tuesday in Lynn, according to the DA’s office.
The chilling video shows one of the girls placing the crying baby in the refrigerator and closing the door. The two girls are laughing, as one of them opens the refrigerator door, which reveals the screaming baby lying on her back inside, and then takes the child out. One of the girls is shown holding the infant, and says “see, she’s OK.”
The mother of the infant told WBZ-TV that her 15-year-old niece and the girl’s 14-year-old friend were watching the baby while she showered. She said the girls placed the baby in the refrigerator because they thought it would be a joke, and felt like they learned their lesson and wouldn’t do it again. She said she was very angry when she found out, but didn’t think the girls intended to harm the baby.
Prosecutors said under state law they are prohibited from commenting on the evidence in juvenile cases.
