DENTON, Texas (WHDH) — A woman who claimed her 3-year-old grandson fell down a flight of stairs later admitted to fatally abusing the young boy in Denton, Texas, police said.
Angela Downing, 57, was arrested on a murder charge after her grandson was declared dead last Saturday, according to Denton police.
Child Protective Services were notified on Jan. 18 about a severely injured child being treated at a hospital, police said.
Downing, who was the boy’s legal guardian, had allegedly told medical staff that her grandson accidentally fell down a flight of stairs.
A thorough investigation revealed that the boy’s injuries were not accidental, police said.
During an interview with detectives, police say Downing admitted to forcefully throwing the boy onto the bathroom floor and against a wall.
The boy ended up having a skull fracture, a brain bleed, and brain swelling, police added.
The child was declared legally dead after doctors determined that he was brain dead last Saturday, according to police.
“This is a tragic reminder of how devastating child abuse can be,” Denton police wrote in a press release.
Anyone who suspects or knows of a child being abused is asked to call law enforcement.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)