Mom referred to infant as ‘a potato’ and ‘sack of flour’ before causing injuries akin to ‘a very bad car accident,’ police say

A 19-year-old mother in Arkansas was arrested for allegedly abusing her 6-month-old baby so severely that doctors said the child’s injuries were akin to being in a “major car accident.” Ryanne Elizabeth Foster was taken into custody on Monday and charged with one count of second-degree battery causing injury to a person under the age of 12, records reviewed by Law&Crime show.

The charge against Foster dates back to July 10, 2024, when officers with the Jonesboro Police Department responded to a call regarding an infant being hospitalized with traumatic injuries, Jonesboro Right Now reported. The infant had initially been admitted to St. Bernards Hospital, but due to the severity of the baby’s condition, they were soon transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, for more specialized care.

At the hospital, police spoke to Foster and her husband about the circumstances that led to their infant’s injuries. The parents reportedly explained that the child had been born premature and suffered seizures since returning from the neonatal intensive care unit. The father reportedly noted that the seizures took place when he was not with Foster and the baby and that each time Foster refused to seek medical attention

According to a report from Jonesboro ABC, NBC, and CW affiliate KAIT, the officer interviewing the couple noted that Foster repeatedly referred to the victim as “a potato.” Foster reportedly claimed that her baby’s injuries occurred during the most recent seizure, which ended with the child falling from the couch.

However, police noted that the couch Foster claimed the infant fell from was no higher than his knee, per Jonesboro Right Now.

Additionally, doctors who treated the child told investigators the infant was suffering from “mixed bleeding on the right and left brain, micro-bruising on the front and back brain” as well as arm and leg fractures.

“When I asked the doctor about what could cause injuries like this in a 6-month-old child, I was told that it would have to be a very bad car accident or physical abuse,” police wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

As the investigation continued, police met with the victim’s father again. The father told investigators he had left Foster and moved out of the home, explaining he was afraid that if he and the baby stayed with her then the infant “could wind up dead,” KAIT reported.

The father also “talked about Ryanne describing [their baby] as a sack of flour” and said of Foster, “there was more emotional connection to their dog than baby.”

Foster was booked into the Craighead County Detention Center where she is currently being held on $50,000 bond. Should she be released, a judge ordered her to have no contact with the victim. She is currently scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 17, 2024.

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