Missouri Mom Arrested after Burning Child with Cigarettes; Victim Had Severe Bruising when Taken to Hospital: Authorities
A woman from Warrensburg, Missouri is now facing charges for reportedly mistreating her child.
Ashley Wallender has been charged by prosecutors in Johnson County, Missouri with first-degree domestic assault, abuse or neglect of a child, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Court documents reveal that Warrensburg police officers were called to a residence on June 27 to investigate a case of child abuse involving an infant.
According to court documents, when officers arrived at the home, they observed the victim with significant bruising at various stages of healing and a cigarette burn mark on the thigh.According to Wallender, the child was feeling unwell and experiencing vomiting.
They had scheduled a morning appointment but were unable to attend due to lack of transportation. According to court documents, it was later confirmed that Wallender did not show up for the appointment without giving prior notice.
According to her, the child had an unfortunate accident where they fell off a bed that was 1 1/2 feet tall, two days prior. This incident is believed to be the cause of the bruises.
According to court documents, Wallender explained that there were scratches and cuts on the child, attributing them to a broken vase on the floor. She mentioned that she might have missed some small shards of glass while sweeping. Wallender agreed to accompany the child to the hospital for a medical evaluation.
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According to court documents, medical staff at the hospital observed significant bruising, burn marks, human bite marks, and puncture sites on the soles of the child’s feet. A full screening was conducted on the child at Children’s Mercy Hospital as reported by Fox4KC News.
The scan clinic at Children’s Mercy reached out to detectives to inform them that they had determined the child’s condition to be a result of physical abuse. According to court documents, Wallender has denied any awareness of physical abuse towards the child.
She claimed that she believed the visible bruising was a result of falling off the bed. When questioned about the additional bruises and marks on the child, she firmly denied noticing anything else and insisted that she was not responsible for the injuries.
Wallender has been taken into custody and is being held in jail on a bond of $50,000. She appeared in court on Wednesday, July 3, where a plea of not guilty was entered.
