Pennsylvania – A Pennsylvania family has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses after it was discovered that the younger woman’s child had been subjected to severe abuse.
The charges include felony aggravated assault on a victim under the age of 13, conspiracy, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault, and evidence tampering.
Both women, 52-year-old Stacy and 35-year-old Ammanda, are being held on $125,000 cash bail at a Pennsylvania county correctional facility. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.
The investigation began in September of last year, when the 12-year-old child was hospitalized due to seizure-like symptoms.
During her hospital visit, the victim’s mother allegedly admitted to giving her child 50 mg of BenadryI and 60 mg of meIatonin before the onset of symptoms.
Medical professionals noticed significant bruising, scars, and abrasions consistent with restraint, as well as signs of severe malnutrition. The child weighed less than 50 pounds, which put her in the 0.01 percentile of healthy children her age.
When questioned by investigators, the child admitted to being restrained to her bed by her hands, feet, chest, and legs, even while sleeping. She described the restraints as painful and expressed her anger and frustration.
The child also stated that she was forced to return to her bed after being restrained for an extended period of time. She also revealed that she was forced to eat cat food, which was confirmed by a witness who stated that the victim’s mother admitted to the act during a phone call.
The victim’s mother allegedly told the same witness that she did not want to restrain her daughter but felt forced to do so by her mother, 52-year-old Stacy.
Investigators discovered that both defendants had installed a surveillance camera in the girl’s room to track her movements and keep her restrained.
District Attorney Sanguedo Ice condemned the accused’s actions, saying, “The abuse of this child offends the sense of decency of every mother, grandmother, and otherwise respectable person imaginable.”
He emphasized the profound betrayal of trust, pointing out that those in charge of the child’s care were the same people who harmed her.
The case has received widespread coverage, emphasizing the critical importance of vigilance and intervention in cases of suspected child abuse.
Authorities in Pennsylvania urge anyone with information about this case or similar incidents to contact the District Attorney’s Office or local law enforcement.
