Florida mom arrested, toddler found unresponsive with severe bruises: Deputies
ALACHUA, Fla. - A Florida mother is facing multiple child abuse charges for allegedly causing severe harm to her 2-year-old toddler.
Mother might be at fault: Deputies
What we know:
On Thursday, June 18, Alachua County deputies rushed to an apartment in Gainesville’s Tower Oaks neighborhood after a 911 call reported an unresponsive child.
According to investigators, Jessica Wilson–the mother–is allegedly responsible for the significant amount of large bruises found throughout the child’s body, the report says.
Wilson, 29, had been staying at a friend’s house for about two weeks leading up to the incident.
Timeline:
Wilson grew alarmed once she realized the child was not breathing, but instead of calling for help, she woke up her friend and handed the toddler over, the report says.
According to police, the friend immediately began CPR and repeatedly asked Wilson to call 911. After Wilson continuously refused, the friend finally called emergency lines herself while continuing life-saving measures on the toddler.
When first responders got to the scene, the child was taken to a waiting ambulance, where paramedics noticed extreme, severe bruising all over the child’s body.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Wilson made statements at the scene that immediately raised red flags, linking her to the injuries and leading to her arrest.
The charges
What's next:
Wilson is being charged with aggravated child abuse, along with a second child abuse charge for a separate, unreported incident that allegedly happened just two days earlier, the report says.
‘Our prayers are with them’
What they're saying:
In a statement, Sheriff Chad Scott shared: "As this young child fights for their life, under the care of dedicated medical professionals, our prayers are with them… We will continue to stand for this child and pursue justice with everything we have."
The Source: This story was written based off information shared by the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.