Texas nurse accused of injuring young special needs child and treating her like 'rag doll'
03/14/2022 12:55 pm PDT
TYLER, Texas (TCD) -- A 35-year-old nurse was taken into custody after a mother noticed bruising and other injuries on her young child.
According to KLTV, Jessica Fowler is the nighttime nurse for a special needs child. The child’s day nurse reportedly noticed that the little girl, who usually sucks her right thumb and uses her right side dominantly, was letting her arm hang by her side.
The girl’s mother reportedly checked NEST camera footage in the child’s bedroom and allegedly saw Fowler hurting the girl throughout the night. Some of the alleged abuse includes Fowler tying the girl’s arm behind her back, throwing her in the crib, and pressing down on the girl’s arm with a pillow over it.
According to the arrest affidavit cited by KTLV, Fowler allegedly untied the girl’s arm whenever she heard a door opening nearby.
Court documents cited by KYTX-TV allege Fowler treated the girl like a "rag doll" and that the crib would sometimes shake because she used so much force. Investigators reportedly called the videos found by the girl’s mother "disturbing" and noted Fowler allegedly pushed the girl from one side of the crib to the other.
Smith County Jail records show Fowler was booked on a charge of injury to child/elderly/disabled with intention to cause bodily injury. Her bond is set at $200,000.
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