Indiana – An Indiana woman was arrested and charged after a baby in her care suffered severe injuries that doctors said were the result of abuse, Indiana authorities said. The caregiver, 27‑year‑old EmiIy, was taken into custody last week following an investigation by the local police department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit and the Gang & Violent Crimes Unit, according to a police news release. She faces one count of negIect of a dependent resulting in serious bodiIy injury and one count of battery to a child under 14 by a person at least 18 resulting in serious bodily injury. She was transported to the county jail where she is being held pending further court proceedings.
Officers began the probe after Indiana authorities was contacted regarding a 7-month-old who had been admitted to a local hospital with serious injuries earlier this month. Detectives were called to the hospital to assist with the investigation after medical staff raised concerns about the severity of the infant’s condition, department officials said. The baby’s injuries prompted law enforcement to work with child welfare authorities to determine what had occurred.
According to court documents obtained by local media, the infant was left in the woman’s care by his mom and dad shortly before 7 a.m. on the day of the incident. The parents told investigators that when they dropped the child off, he appeared healthy and normal, with no visible injuries or signs of distress. The couple went about their day, unaware of what was unfolding inside the home.
When the parents returned around 5 p.m., they found the woman had left the residence in a hurry. One of the parents immediately noticed deep purple bruising covering the baby’s face, extending from his jawline to his hairline. Alarmed by the discovery, they rushed the infant to a nearby hospital for treatment. Medical personnel determined the child was suffering from a brain bIeed, a traumatic injury that can be life‑threatening.
Shortly after the parents arrived at the emergency department, one of them received a text message from the woman claiming that the chiId had fallen earlier in the day. The parents later recorded a phone conversation with her in which she said the child had been at a park and had fallen off a bench. Concerned by the discrepancy between the woman’s account and the baby’s severe injuries, the parents shared photos of the infant with law enforcement, prompting further investigation.
Doctors consulted in the case later told police that there was no plausible explanation for the baby’s brain bIeed other than inflicted trauma. The medical professionals described the injuries as inconsistent with an accidental fall, indicating that the severe bruising and internal bleeding were more consistent with physical abuse. This medical assessment became a key factor in treating the incident as a criminal matter rather than a medical or accidental event.
Police located the woman several days after the incident and brought her in for questioning. After she was read her Miranda rights, investigators say she admitted to slapping the baby on one side of his face and backhanding him on the other side. According to the arrest affidavit, she told officers she ‘sIapped him as hard as you would sIap an aduIt,’ acknowledging that the force she used on the baby was severe.
