A woman faces a felony child abuse charge after failing to seek medical care for her malnourished toddler, authorities said.
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Breanna Marie Newman, 27, of Bristol Township, was charged last week with endangering the welfare of a child. She was brought before on-call District Judge Terry Hughes and sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 percent of $250,000 bail.
Newman was arrested following a tip that prompted an investigation into the health of her 2-year-old son, who has a disability, police said.
The investigation began in December after concerns were reported about the child’s condition, police said.
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Newman, who is originally from Indiana, moved to Pennsylvania last July to live with a man she met online. After their relationship ended, Newman and her son moved to a Montgomery County apartment with a new boyfriend, police said.
Newman moved into the Glen Hollow apartments off Newportville Road in Bristol Township’s Croydon section late last year with her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, who had become a friend, police said.
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The woman Newman was sharing the apartment with reported noticing the child’s weight loss, bones became visible, and there was a decline in his physical capabilities, including his ability to crawl, hold up his head, and communicate, police said.
According to police, Newman left her son alone in a bedroom for hours and was hesitant to seek medical help due to fears of losing custody.
Bucks County Children and Youth staff ended up going to the apartment and noted the child appeared malnourished, police said.
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The toddler was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia where a specialist in child abuse confirmed the severe malnutrition and noted that the child had regressed in motor skills, police said.
The child weighed only 19 pounds, which is typical for a 9-month-old infant, according to court documents.
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The boy has since gained 10 pounds under medical care, and doctors found “no medical reason” for his previous condition, court documents stated.
During a police interview, Newman admitted to not seeking medical care for her son, but she did not know how to get him that care, court papers said.
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Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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