"Toddler John" HAROLDSON - 3 yo - Sevierville TN

child burned, bruised: mother arrested


Sarah M. Haroldson

January 11 2011 04:28 PM
updated:: January 11 2011 05:50 PM

A Sevier County woman has been arrested after her child was brought to the hospital with burns and bruising.
On
Sunday morning a three-year-old child was brought to Leconte Medical
Center in Sevierville due to injures including burns on his buttocks and
feet, and also bruising to the head, back and arms.
The Sevierville
Police Department was initially notified, but once officers arrived to
the hospital they determined the incident had occurred in the county.
Sevier
County Sheriff’s Office Child Crimes Investigator was called to the
hospital and after an investigation it was determined that the injuries
to the child were not consistent with the statement given by the mother,
who had brought the child to the hospital.
Investigators determined
that the injuries occurred on Saturday night, but the child was not
brought in for medical treatment until Sunday morning.
The child was
transferred to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta GA where he is
being treated for the severe burns he sustained.
The mother, Sarah M. Haroldson, 24 of Sevierville, was subsequently charged with child
abuse and neglect by Det. Katherine Breeden.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be placed by investigators.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Tenn. Dept. of Children’s Services and Sevierville PD Investigators.
Haroldson was booked into Sevier County Jail under a $15,000 bond and a Feb. 14 hearing date has been sent.

http://seymourherald.com/news/2011/jan/11/child-burned-bruised-mother-ar/

A second person has been arrested in connection with the child abuse of a Sevier County toddler, according to information from the Sevier County Sheriff's Office.
Jeremy R. Haroldson, 25, of Sevierville is charged with one count of aggravated child abuse. Officials say Haroldson is the stepfather of the 3-year-old boy who was allegedly abused.
The child's mother, Sarah M. Haroldson, was charged with child abuse and child neglect Sunday after she brought her son to LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville. He'd sustained severe burns to his buttocks and feet and bruising on his body, officials say.
Doctors alerted authorities, and sheriff's investigators determined that the child's injuries were not consistent with a statement given by his mother. She first told authorities that her son was burned by hot water but changed her story several times after officials questioned her, said sheriff's Capt. Jeff McCarter.
In addition to the stepfather's arrest, officials Tuesday upgraded the child's mother's child abuse charge to aggravated child abuse. Sheriff's officials say she was arrested again after posting bond on her initial charges.
The couple remained incarcerated at the Sevier County jail.
The child has since been released from the burn unit at Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga. Sheriff's officials say he has been placed in foster care by the state Department of Children's Services.