Palmetto woman charged with aggravated child abuse; deputies have arrest warrant for husband

MANATEE -- A woman was charged with aggravated child abuse after deputies said she didn't immediately seek medical treatment for her injured baby, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Emma Bean, 19, was arrested at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Friday they also have obtained an arrest warrant for the woman's husband.

On Sept. 11, deputies responded to All Children's Hospital in reference to a 7-month-old infant with a skull fracture, according to the report. Bean told deputies she was bathing the baby two weeks prior when she noticed a soft spot on the left side of her head. Bean woke her husband, began Googling "soft spot" online and then grew concerned the baby's skull was abnormal.

Bean first told deputies she didn't know what could have caused the skull fracture, but the husband said the baby fell off the bed two months prior.

Bean then told deputies she thought her husband was going to make a doctor's appointment but never checked to make sure he did.

Medical staff told deputies they discovered the baby also had a left tibia fracture in the early stages of healing.

When confronted about the leg injury, Bean began to cry and said she was unaware of it.

Bean's husband told deputies they once had a large dog they found stepping on the baby, which may have caused the leg fracture, according to the report.

Dr. Sally Smith, medical director of a Pinellas County Child Protection Team, told deputies the fracture could not have been caused by a fall off the bed and the baby is lucky because she could have died from her injury.

Smith told deputies Bean said she noticed the soft spot five to 10 days prior to the doctor's appointment.

When confronted with the doctor's information by deputies, the parents became defensive and began blaming each other, according to the report.

Neither parent could give a reasonable explanation as to how the injuries occurred and blamed the other for not making a doctor's appointment in a timely manner. A search revealed a Sept. 4 text message from Bean's father: "did you get the baby's head looked at???!!!????"

Doctor's records show Bean did not schedule an appointment until Sept. 9, at least five days after she noticed the soft spot on the baby's head. Deputies said it is unknown if the parents were trying to cover up the injuries or oblivious to the baby's need for medical attention.

Bean was being held in Manatee County jail on $5,000 bond, according to the sheriff's office website.

There was no word on whether the father faces any charges

Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter@AmarisCastillo.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 9:48 PM with the headline "Palmetto woman charged with aggravated child abuse; deputies have arrest warrant for husband."