North Carolina mom charged with abuse, murder of 4-month-old baby; other infants injured

GIBSONVILLE, N.C. (TCD) -- A 25-year-old mother was arrested over the weekend and charged with murdering her 4-month-old son in 2020, months after being charged with abusing two other infants.

The Caswell County Sheriff's Office announced they took Heaven Leigh Harlan into custody on charges of first-degree murder and one count of felony child abuse on Saturday, July 31.

The arrest comes nearly a year after first-responders went to her residence on Burlington Avenue on August 25, 2020, regarding an unresponsive child, WGHP-TV reports.

Guilford EMS officials performed CPR on the 4-month-old for an hour, but he was pronounced dead, according to WGHP.

Authorities reportedly began an investigation into alleged child abuse and the infant's death due to the conditions of Harlan's home, WGHP reports.

According to WGHP, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reportedly determined the child fell out of a mechanical swing, then hit his head.

About two months after the child's death, the Winston-Salem Journal reports, Harlan was charged with child abuse in October 2020 after two of her other children were injured.

Doctors performing a routine checkup reportedly found injuries consistent with child abuse on her other two infants, who were younger than 8 months, WGHP reports.

One child reportedly had a subdural hemorrhage and fractured ribs. The other child reportedly had posterior rib fractures, left radius fracture, subdural fluid hemorrhage and brain atrophy, according to WGHP.

Doctors reportedly performed surgery on the two children, which were life-threatening. Harlan was arrested at the time on two counts of child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.

Heaven Leigh Harlan was held at the Guilford County Jail without bond. She's scheduled to appear in court on August 10.

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