Pennsylvania authorities arrested a mother after she allegedly abused her son while shopping at a local Walmart.
Samantha Fletcher He is accused of slamming the boy into a shopping cart on Saturday, March 14, knocking the crying child unconscious.
Fletcher, 28, currently faces charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment and simple assault in connection with the alleged abuse.
Police said several shoppers at the Tarrytown store witnessed the crime and called 911.
Police dispatched to the store spoke to a witness who claimed she saw a woman acting aggressively while shopping with her children.
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“He observed a female who appeared to be under the influence screaming obscenities at two small children and dragging one of the children on the floor with a backpack strap while he cried hysterically,” police wrote in a statement about the arrest. “Witnesses stated that the woman picked up the child and threw him into a shopping cart, causing a head injury. At some point, the child lost consciousness.”
A witness said Fletcher dragged one of the children across the store floor using a backpack strap. She contacted Fletcher to see if the mother needed any help.
Another claimed the boy was knocked into the car at least five times. Witnesses said the boy’s head hit the metal part of the shopping cart.
The shopper pointed Fletcher out to police, who approached her. When they did, they said they could see her “cradling the unconscious child in her arms.”
Emergency medical personnel assessed the situation and when they were unable to wake him, determined the boy needed “immediate medical attention.”
Doctors ordered a CT scan because of visible bruising on his forehead, which revealed the boy had suffered a concussion from being knocked into the cart.
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Investigators eventually learned Fletcher was responsible for the child’s injuries, and she was placed in handcuffs.
She is being held on $10,000 bail. Her children were released into the custody of their father.
Records show Fletcher is currently scheduled to appear in court on April 24.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
