"Baby John" ESTRIGHT - 21 Months/ Accused: Mother- Kiara Mayne Estright - Berks (Reading) PA

Police in Berks County have arrested a woman who they say admitted to brutally injuring her infant son on several occasions.
On October 25, a 21-month-old child was admitted to Reading Hospital
with a broken arm. The medical staff deemed the infant's injury as
suspicious, prompting them to contact Youth Services.
Berks
County Children and Youth Services then contacted Berks County
Detectives to inform them of the abuse investigation, and as a result,
police started a criminal investigation.


The criminal
investigation revealed that the child was initially diagnosed with a
broken arm. Subsequently, a physician from Reading Hospital ordered a
full body scan of the child, revealing several healing and/or healed
fractures. These fractures included a skull, left clavicle, three ribs,
one metacarpal, and multiple breaks in the leg. It was determined that
these fractures occurred over the past six months.
On October
28, detectives interviewed the child's mother, Kiara Mayne Estright of
the 600 block of North 10th Street in Reading. During the interview,
Estright admitted to causing the injuries to her son.
The following was provided by police regarding Estright's admissions concerning specific injuries:
1. Broken Ribs: One day, she grabbed him too hard causing them to break.
2. Broken Leg: She was mad because he was not walking right. She
picked him up and slammed him down causing the leg to break.
3. Skull Fracture: She threw her son onto the bed. He bounced and struck his head against the headboard.
On Monday October 31, a warrant was issued for Estright's arrest and
she surrendered to police the next day. She was charged with Aggravated
Assault, Endangering Welfare of Children, Simple Assault, and
Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Bail was set at one million
dollars and she was committed to Berks County Prison.
Her infant son is currently in the safe care of foster parents.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/crime&id=8417044

Mom found guilty of breaking 9 of son's bones
Injuries occurred over 6 months; tot now with foster family

Originally Published: 8/2/2012
by Mary Young, Reading Eagle

A Reading woman was found guilty Wednesday in Berks County Court of breaking nine of her son's bones over a six-month period last year.

The jury deliberated for nearly four hours before convicting Kiara Mayne Estright, 19, of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Between April 2011 and October while the boy was living with his mother in the 600 block of North 10th Street, he suffered two separate fractures to a leg that broke again after his cast was removed, a broken collarbone, a skull fracture that bled, a broken arm, a broken hand and three broken ribs.

During her testimony in a three-day trial before Judge Linda K.M. Ludgate, Estright repeatedly denied harming her son and insisted she did not tell detectives and caseworkers that she did.

She said she did give them possible explanations for how the injuries might have happened.

"He was always running around," Estright said. "I let him be a boy. He was very active and very curious."

Medical testimony indicated that the injuries were not caused by the boy's vitamin D deficiency or bone abnormalities.

In his closing argument, Estright's Reading attorney, Kevin Feeney, said Estright's family and friends testified that she was patient with the boy and had a good relationship with him.

"No one ever saw marks on this child," he said. "No one saw the child being afraid of Kiara. She's a good mother.

"There's a complete lack of evidence on how these injuries occurred."

Assistant District Attorney Ellen R. West told the jury that the boy has had no additional injuries since he began living with a foster family.

"He was 15 to 22 months old when this happened," West said. "All nine breaks happened when he was alone with his mother. On that one fact the defendant was certain. She specifically denied that anyone else did it."

Estright was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail to await sentencing.

According to court records:

Estright told detectives her son's leg fractures occurred when she picked him up and slammed him down. The skull fracture occurred when she threw him on the bed and his head struck the headboard. The broken ribs occurred when she grabbed him too hard.

The boy was treated for the head injury at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. The other injuries were treated at Reading Hospital.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=405502