The baby sitter’s secret
Eleanor “Lori” Nathan ran day cares in Concord and Clayton. Nathan was convicted in 1983 of abusing 30 children and murdering one. She will meet with the parole board this week for the first time. Nathan, who has mantained her innocence, declind to speak about her case for this story.
Posted on July 17th, 2007 under Portfolio, Slideshows • Tags: childabuse, clayton, concord, crime. • 
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June 21st, 2010 at 7:31 am
My sister and I were in this monster’s care as very small children and I pray that she is never released. What she did to us was horrible and the terror I had to live with as a child was out of this world. Now I am so over protective of my child and terrified that someone will harm them.
June 21st, 2010 at 12:27 pm
My daughter, Julie, (previous comment) was babysat by “Lori”, along with her older sister, Tiffany, in 1975. I saw that there were multiple injuries experienced by children in her care. There were bruises on ankles. Tiffany told me of some of the disciplinary techniques Lori used to keep children quiet and still: pushing on their eyes, squeezing her fingers against both sides of children’s necks below the ears till they were dizzy, twisting arms behind their backs. Though Tiffany no longer remembers, I recall that she told me that once when she had to use the bathroom she passed the bedroom where the babies were kept (“napped”, according to Lori)she saw Lori hit a baby in the stomach. After I asked Lori different things about what the children did all day and how she would keep them quiet, etc. I became more and more suspicious. I tried to meet with other parents, especially ones whose children had some kind of injury and see what they thought. I could not find another parent who felt threatened or fearful about their child or children’s safety. They all trusted Lori and were adamant that she was an “angel”. It wasn’t until after Julie was injured somehow severe enough for Julie to be terrified to fall asleep for over two days and two nights that I contacted the Concord Police Dpt and tried to file a report. I was counseled that I NOT file any report, because I did not have any proof. I was slso told not to continue to try to contact other parents as I could open myself to legal action from Lori: defamation of character, etc. I tried one more time to take the girls to Lori’s, I wanted to see what would happen, Julie was so terrified that she got out of her car seat (she was barely over 1-year old) and got herself spread eagle across the ceiling of the back of my Volkswagen Bug, screaming. When Lori came out to see why I wasn’t coming in, I walked up to her, pointed a finger in her face and told her that I KNEW THAT SHE DID SOMETHING TO JULIE, and that she was abusing other children in her care, but I just couldn’t prove it and no one would believe me yet, but someday people will KNOW.
June 21st, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Lori sounded like an “angel” when she spoke. Probably still does. She had a sweet and innocent appearance and manner and style of talking. Probably still does. People were seduced to believe whatever Lori said by the way Lori could present herself. Probably still are.
I believe as strongly today as I did in the couple months that my daughters were in her care that Eleanor “Lori” Nathan is a monster, who has absolutely NO CONCERN about the welfare of others. She only sees others as being things with which she can obtain whatever it is she wants. She won’t change.
I sincerely hope that she never be allowed freedom to live again among the trusting and vulnerable.