"John" BROWN - 14 months - San Tan VAlley AZ

Authorities confirm an East Valley mother has been charged with child
abuse after her 14-month-old son was found so malnourished he couldn't
hold up his head.

Rhandi Brown, 22, was arrested September 14
after deputies discovered the baby when they responded to a domestic
violence call at the home the woman shares with the toddler's father.

According
to Pinal County Sheriff's Lt. Tamatha Villar, the boy only weighed 13
pounds and his diaper was so soiled the smell of urine was overwhelming.

Apparently
the parents were feeding the boy food for toddlers, even though he had
no teeth yet. They reportedly told investigators the boy would gum the
food until it was soft enough to swallow.

The boy was put in a hospital and treated for malnutrition before being placed in a foster home, Villar said.

Brown is free on bail, Villar said.