A 6-week-old baby could face lifelong injuries, reportedly caused by his mother.
The Millbrook Police Department took Shelia Lashun McMullin, 27, of Millbrook, into custody on Oct. 21 as they looked into the circumstances surrounding her young son’s transport to Children’s Hospital on Oct. 17, following brain injuries sustained that afternoon between 1 and 3 p.m.
The following day, staff at Children’s Hospital reached out to the Elmore County Department of Human Resources, reporting that the child had injuries indicative of being shaken and expressing concerns for the child’s safety.
“(A DHR representative) was advised that it was evident that (the infant) had suffered some sort of head trauma or abuse and that there was bleeding to the brain consistent with being shaken,” court documents state. “The infant was also suffering from seizures believed to be as a result of his injuries.”
Court documents reveal that DHR interviewed McMullin, who mentioned that the infant was left with her mother in Wetumpka on October 16 so that McMullin and her boyfriend, the infant’s father, could go on a date. On October 17, McMullin went back to Wetumpka to collect the infant, who had a bottle before they departed for Millbrook around 10:30 a.m.
Court documents reveal that the baby’s father departed for work prior to 1 p.m., leaving the infant unattended at the Millbrook residence with McMullin.
The mother informed authorities that she had put the infant in a swing, where he fell asleep. The baby stirred and became irritable shortly after. McMullin made another effort to soothe the baby. The mother of the infant reported noticing seizures around 3 p.m.
During discussions with the police, McMullin confessed to shaking the baby in a moment of frustration while trying to tidy up the home and dealing with the child’s fussiness. She informed the authorities that she had no intention of inflicting the injuries.
“Upon questioning, Shelia admitted to shaking (the infant) until he passed out at which point in time she placed him in a swing,” court documents state. “Shelia stated (the infant) woke up after (roughly 10 minutes) and that shortly afterward she noticed jerking in his hand and leg which were determined to be seizures of the child.”
Medical professionals at the Children’s facility informed investigators that the baby underwent intubation and received medication to control the seizure activity, which persisted for about two days. Court documents reveal that imaging at Children’s indicated brain bleeds and a mixture of blood and spinal fluid, which aligns with signs of being shaken.
McMullin has been arrested and is facing charges of aggravated child abuse in Elmore County Jail. A hearing for Aniah’s Law was requested, but McMullin was released on bond Tuesday night. As of Wednesday afternoon, there is no bond amount listed in court records or on the Elmore County Jail roster.