St. Louis County woman charged after infant in her care severely injured

ST. LOUIS COUNTY — A St. Louis County woman has been charged with child abuse after doctors say a child left in her care suffered serious injuries.

Mary Williams, 19, of St. John, was charged Friday with one count of second-degree child abuse.

According to court documents, when police were dispatched on Oct. 29 to a St. John home near Edmundson Road and North Avenue they found a two-month-old infant unresponsive and barely breathing. The infant was taken to an area hospital where doctors determined the baby had a spinal fracture, a brain bleed and severe bruising to the buttocks.

Prosecutors allege that Williams told investigators that she became "overwhelmed" and that she "shook the baby." However, investigators noted in court documents that her description of events has "changed several times," and that the child's injuries "were not consistent with defendant's description of what happened." Child Protective Services removed another child from Williams' care, according to court documents.

A warrant has been issued for Williams' arrest. A judge has set a cash-only bond of $350,000 in this case. Once arrested, and if released on bond, a judge has determined that Williams be ordered to wear a GPS-tracking monitor, to have no contact with the children, must stay at least 500 feet away from the victims, and must not possess any firearms.

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St. Charles County reporter