A mother and her boyfriend are facing serious charges after a young girl was found with extensive injuries, including fractures to her arm, leg, and ribs, a bite mark, significant bruising, and missing bottom teeth. Authorities launched an investigation after the child was taken to a hospital, where medical professionals determined her injuries were consistent with child abuse.
The mother, 28, has been charged with child neglect, while her 29-year-old boyfriend faces a charge of aggravated child abuse. The investigation began in early January when the young girl was admitted to the hospital with multiple injuries in various stages of healing. Medical experts ruled out any underlying medical conditions that could have caused the fractures, leading authorities to believe the harm was inflicted.
The mother claimed that the child had been in her father’s care for a period before she noticed any injuries. She stated that while she saw a few minor cuts on her daughter’s elbow, nothing seemed serious. Investigators, however, determined that the abuse occurred while the boyfriend was responsible for watching the child. Despite this, the mother denied any wrongdoing on his part, attributing the fractures to a rare genetic disorder, which doctors later disproved through testing.
Text messages exchanged between the mother and her boyfriend suggest she was aware of potential abuse. In one message sent in late December, she confronted him about his behavior toward her daughter, accusing him of deliberately hitting the child’s head on a door and throwing her into the backseat of a car. She expressed her pain over how he treated her children compared to his own.
Additional messages between the mother and a family member, who works closely with child protective services, show growing concerns about the child’s well-being. This relative, who is not facing charges, repeatedly voiced alarm over the visible injuries on the girl, describing her condition as looking like she had been “punched in the face.” The family member noted that each time he saw her, she had new injuries. Concerned that child welfare authorities would intervene, he advised the mother not to take the girl out in public.
By late December, the relative directly asked if the child could stay with him, stating that someone was clearly harming her. The mother, however, dismissed the concerns, blaming falls and insect bites for the injuries.
During questioning, the boyfriend denied abusing the child, claiming he only pinched her nose playfully. However, another child in the household described a more disturbing reality, alleging that when the girl cried, the boyfriend would become angry and use tweezers to pinch her nose while covering her mouth.
Both individuals were arrested at the beginning of March, with formal charges filed shortly after. The boyfriend remains in custody with a substantial bond set at $300,000, while the mother has since been released on bond. Their next court appearance is scheduled for later in the month.
