06-06-2009, 12:48 AM
AUSTIN -
Investigators call it one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse in Travis County history. Emily Beth McDonald, 23, is accused of intentionally making her 3-year-old daughter sick. Investigators say hospital surveillance cameras recorded the abuse.
The victim is still at Dell Children's Medical Center but is in stable condition. Investigators say her mother admitted to rubbing feces into the toddler's feeding tube on multiple occasions at the hospital.
All the while, the mother kept a daily blog of her daughter's illness and attempts to recover. Austin police say every time McDonald's daughter started to improve, the child would get sick again.
"The medical records show that the child would get better and then feces would most likely be reintroduced," said Det. Marci Graham.
Police say McDonald brought her daughter to the hospital April 15 with a high fever and an infection caused by bacteria commonly found in feces.
Hospital staff became suspicious and installed a video surveillance camera in the victim's room. On May 31st, police say that camera captured the mother rubbing feces into her daughter's feeding tube.
Investigators say McDonald confessed to doing this a total of five times between April and May. During that time, the daughter became septic and suffered from a rapid heart rate and low blood pressure, all of which could have been deadly.
"One reason that she offered to us, an explanation, was that it would keep her daughter sick to gain attention," said Det. Graham.
Emily McDonald got a lot of attention according to a daily blog she maintained called the "McDonald Five". In it she describes her three year old's treatment and her two other children, ages 6 and 4.
On May 28 she wrote "If they want us to stay then that's what we need to do but it's a hard pill for me to swallow when (my daughter)asks on a regular basis to go home."
"I was totally shocked, it's unbelievable knowing the family that I do know," said long-time neighbor Ernie Robbins.
He says she comes from a good family and still lives with her parents in Manor.
Investigators won't speculate on McDonald's mental state but say she has never been diagnosed with a mental disorder. McDonald was arrested Wednesday, charged with first degree injury to a child. Her two other children are staying with their father's parents.
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/news/loca..._Childs_IV
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That's what I call a 'shitty life'
Investigators call it one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse in Travis County history. Emily Beth McDonald, 23, is accused of intentionally making her 3-year-old daughter sick. Investigators say hospital surveillance cameras recorded the abuse.
The victim is still at Dell Children's Medical Center but is in stable condition. Investigators say her mother admitted to rubbing feces into the toddler's feeding tube on multiple occasions at the hospital.
All the while, the mother kept a daily blog of her daughter's illness and attempts to recover. Austin police say every time McDonald's daughter started to improve, the child would get sick again.
"The medical records show that the child would get better and then feces would most likely be reintroduced," said Det. Marci Graham.
Police say McDonald brought her daughter to the hospital April 15 with a high fever and an infection caused by bacteria commonly found in feces.
Hospital staff became suspicious and installed a video surveillance camera in the victim's room. On May 31st, police say that camera captured the mother rubbing feces into her daughter's feeding tube.
Investigators say McDonald confessed to doing this a total of five times between April and May. During that time, the daughter became septic and suffered from a rapid heart rate and low blood pressure, all of which could have been deadly.
"One reason that she offered to us, an explanation, was that it would keep her daughter sick to gain attention," said Det. Graham.
Emily McDonald got a lot of attention according to a daily blog she maintained called the "McDonald Five". In it she describes her three year old's treatment and her two other children, ages 6 and 4.
On May 28 she wrote "If they want us to stay then that's what we need to do but it's a hard pill for me to swallow when (my daughter)asks on a regular basis to go home."
"I was totally shocked, it's unbelievable knowing the family that I do know," said long-time neighbor Ernie Robbins.
He says she comes from a good family and still lives with her parents in Manor.
Investigators won't speculate on McDonald's mental state but say she has never been diagnosed with a mental disorder. McDonald was arrested Wednesday, charged with first degree injury to a child. Her two other children are staying with their father's parents.
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/news/loca..._Childs_IV
--
That's what I call a 'shitty life'