Authorities arrested a Kentucky mother after a 17-month-old toddler died of severe sexual abuse injuries.
Erica Lawson, 21, was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, first-degree criminal abuse against a child under 12, and first-degree wanton endangerment and failure to report child neglect, WBIR reported.
The girl was first taken to Middlesboro ARH Hospital and then flown to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital on Friday, July 28.
“What is disheartening is the public’s response,” Lynne Fugate, a Kentucky attorney, told WBIR. “If a child is abused, report it. Don’t withhold it, don’t go on — report it. Call someone. Do something because this could very well be a different outcome had that been the case.”
After being raped and beaten, the child was put on life support and passed away on Sunday.
“In my time with the commonwealth, this is one of the most severe cases of abuse, specifically because that baby is 17-months-old at that time,” Ayers said.
Police are expecting to make another arrest, but at this point in time, the baby’s father is not a suspect.
The girl’s uncle went to Middlesboro Police Department several weeks ago suspecting that his niece had been burned.
Police “couldn’t find the kid and the uncle did not know where the kid was at the time.”
Lawson was taken to Bell County Detention Center where she is held on a $1 million bond.
“That somebody could be that sick out there to let this go on,” said Caley Ayers from the Middlesboro Police Department. “I have seen some kids like that, but not at this age.”
