OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:30 PM – Tuesday, August 1, 2023
On Sunday, a woman from Kentucky was arrested after her toddler died from severe injuries that were consistent with both sexual and physical abuse.
Erica Lawson, 21, of Mount Vernon, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and first-degree criminal mistreatment of a child under the age of 12.
She was also charged with child negligence and first-degree wanton endangerment.
Bell County Commonwealth Attorney Lisa Fugate said that the 17-month-old girl showed evidence of sexual and physical abuse when she was taken to a hospital on July 28th.
The child’s injuries were too severe for her to recuperate, so she was immediately placed on life support.
According to Kentucky radio station WRIL-FM, the toddler later died on Sunday night due to brain injury bleeding.
Lawson was interrogated by police and arrested on Sunday night.
The Middlesboro Police Department quickly launched an investigation in order to find out who else was responsible for the injuries. The arrested mother was not open to discussing the other parties involved in the abuse of her daughter.
She was taken down to the Bell County Detention Center, where she is currently being detained on a $1,000,000 bail.
The incident is also being investigated by the Middlesboro Police Department and Bell County authorities.
Representatives from the Bell County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Middlesboro Police Department did not respond to any requests for comment.
This is a developing story.
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