Nurse accused of injuring, abusing special needs child

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Police in Texas arrested a woman after a mother reported she was injuring her special needs child.

Jessica Renee Fowler, 35, of Tyler, Texas, was arrested on March 7 and charged with injury to a disabled child.

KLTV reports Fowler tied the child’s arm behind her back and threw her hard into a crib, with other actions hurting the child, according to an arrest affidavit.

The case was brought against the 35-year-old after the child’s mother saw an injury on her daughter’s right arm, according to the written statement.

The mother reportedly told police that her child, “Jane,” is right-arm dominant and usually sucks her right thumb. But then she noticed that her arm was hanging limply by her side, and the daytime nurse noted that she was not sucking her thumb while noticing bruises.

The mother had a nurse practitioner check her daughter’s arm. While she waited, she went through videos captured by the Nest camera in the child’s room.

The child’s mother then said that she saw Fowler abusing “Jane” during the night on the video by tying her arm behind her back in bed, dropping her legs forcefully during diaper changes, extending her arm out on the crib mattress, and firmly pressing down on the child, according to the arrest affidavit.

The affidavit also states that it was clear Fowler knew what she was doing was harmful and wrong because when she would hear a door open in the house she would rush to “Jane’s” crib and untie her arm.

Fowler, a registered nurse, agreed to call to arrange a time to speak with the investigator in person. However, she did not call or show up. Instead, a lawyer called on her behalf, saying she would not be going to the police station to speak to the investigator.

Fowler had bond set at $200,000 and posted bail the same day.