An Oklahoma mother is facing jail time after authorities alleged she waited more than 24 hours to take her baby to the hospital after the infant fell off of a table.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by CNHI News, 29-year-old Cady Dawn Flowers texted her sister on May 8 telling her that the 1-year-old baby fell from a couch to the floor.
She sent her sibling a picture of the baby that showed a red line extending from above the child’s left eye from the temple to the left side of the eye.
The next day, Flowers left the baby boy with a friend. The baby vomited multiple times. Flowers arrived back at home at 9 p.m.
Flowers began sending messages to friends and the baby’s father over Facebook, including one that said, “can u make it over” and another that said “its all bad.”
Just before 11 p.m. that day, Flowers made a phone call to the Stillwater Medical Center. She later told sheriff’s deputies that someone there told her that the baby required emergency medical care, apparently saying the child’s “intestines were intertwined.” Flowers sister also advised her to take the baby to the ER.
According to court documents obtained by KFOR, on May 10, Flowers made two or more phone calls to Stillwater Family Care, telling the person on the other end that her baby was vomiting “since 8 p.m.” the night prior and that he was “really fussy, he curls up like he is in pain, and all he does is cry since last night.”
Flowers and the baby were rushed to the hospital by 11 a.m. that day. Doctors found that the boy had a left parietal epidural hematoma and had to remove a blood clot.
According to the University of California, Los Angeles, epidural hematomas (EDH) occur when blood accumulates between the skull and the dura mater, the thick membrane covering the brain.
“They typically occur when a skull fracture tears an underlying blood vessel,” the university stated. “EDHs are about half as common as a subdural hematomas and usually occur in young adults. They occur four times as often among males compared with females and rarely before age 2 or after age 60.”
Symptoms include a brief loss of consciousness followed by the person being aware for several hours before their brain function deteriorates, possibly leaving them in a coma.
“If untreated, the condition can cause increased blood pressure, difficulty breathing, damage to brain function, and death,” according to the university.
The baby was transferred to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa for the surgery, CNHI News reported.
One doctor wrote, “there has been no trauma history from that night that explains (the child’s) injury. While short falls, such as the one reported, can cause epidural symptoms of space occupying session such as the epidural typical start within 6-12 hours. On exam (the child) has a healing contusion with a superficial abrasion on the left forehead which is similar to what is seen on a photograph reported to be taken after the fall. (The child) also has an abrasion on the left ear that has no known history. Based on (the child’s) age, injuries and history this is concerning for physical abuse.”
Flowers was charged with felony child abuse.
According to the Hunsucker Legal Group, Oklahoma law holds a person responsible for child abuse if harm is enacted or threatened against the child.
If convicted, perpetrators face up to life in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, depending on details of the case.