Heavily Bruised Child Kept in Cage covered in Gecal Matter; Mother Arrested in New York
A mother in upstate New York is facing charges of child endangerment after authorities discovered her 2-year-old son confined in a cage at their residence. The child was found covered in feces and had multiple broken bones.
A 24-year-old woman has been arrested by the New York State Police following the discovery of her son living in extremely poor conditions, with fractured ribs and bruising on his body, according to a news release by the New York State Police on Thursday.
Authorities discovered the state of the toddler during their visit to the family’s residence in Buffalo on Feb. 4, as they were there to execute a felony arrest warrant for the woman in relation to a different offense. No further details were provided regarding the reported offense.
During their investigation at the residence, authorities discovered a distressing situation involving a 2-year-old child confined in a bedroom. The child was found inside a makeshift cage, which was created using a play pen covered by a piece of a crib that was securely fastened to the top. This arrangement prevented the child from standing or leaving the play pen, as mentioned in the official statement.
The cage and 2-year-old were covered in waste. Investigators noted the presence of fecal matter on the walls in their release. “The child and bedding were heavily soiled.”
According to New York State Trooper James O’Callaghan, officers discovered food remnants inside the cage.
“Bones or some kind of chicken bones.” O’Callaghan expressed his strong disgust when discussing the matter with the outlet.
Investigators at the scene immediately reached out to Child Protective Services, and emergency medical services promptly arrived to transport the child to a specialized children’s hospital.
According to the release, the woman was taken to a police station in Clarence and detained on a child endangerment charge.
It remains unclear if the woman was released on bond by Friday.
Medical professionals at the hospital discovered that the baby had bruising on his face and body, as well as two fractured ribs that were in the process of healing. This suggests that the baby’s ribs may have been broken approximately 10 days to two weeks prior to seeking medical attention.
During an interview with the police, the woman provided details about the child’s injuries, explaining that the incident occurred between late December 2023 and early January 2024 when the child fell down the stairs. The woman mentioned that she did not seek medical assistance.
