By: Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A teenaged mother accused of biting her baby boy on the arm and hand, as well as hitting him in the back of the head with a toy, has been jailed on $50,000 bail pending an Aug. 5 court appearance when she can seek a preliminary hearing on a child abuse charge.
Sarah Jay Scott, 18, of Stillwater, could be given a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted of intentionally hurting her 7-month-old baby, court records show.
Scott was arrested on June 21 by Stillwater Police Officer Miguel R. Najera, who was sent to assist the state Department of Human Services with a follow-up visit from a previous domestic incident between Scott and her baby’s father, an affidavit alleged.
After injuries were discovered on the baby, Scott was ordered to allow him to be examined by the Saville Center in Stillwater, the officer’s affidavit alleged.
Bite marks were found on the baby’s right arm and right hand, along with bruising on his forehead, the back of his head, his chest, sides and back, the affidavit alleged.
Scott admitted that on June 16 at 4 p.m. she intentionally bit her infant three times at their apartment “due to her being frustrated and tired,” the affidavit alleged.
Scott admitted that the next day at 4 a.m. she intentionally struck the baby five times in the back of his head with a child’s toy, which resulted in significant bruising to the back of his head, the affidavit alleged.
“Scott also stated she failed to seek medical treatment after causing injuries” to her baby, the affidavit alleged.
According to court records, the baby’s father obtained an emergency protective order on his own behalf on June 20 against Scott, who got an EPO against him the next day.
In his petition for a protective order, the baby’s father alleged, “I have left the residence because there is verbal and physical abuse being put upon me. For eight months, I have been forced away from my child by the defendant. In multiple situations I have been hit and scratched.
“Sarah had taken my belongings on the date above (June 20) and was harboring my items. I had then asked her to move so I could get them out of the closet. She would not move. So I began to tell her I was going to grab her wrist and move her to get them. As I did, she started slapping on me.
“I grabbed her waist and picked her up, put her on the bed, and as I was, she was hitting me. Now whether she was or was not meaning to, it seemed as though she tried to bite me, also she head butted me in the face. After I put her on the bed, I tried to turn around and open the door.
“She then pushed me over a chair. That’s when I had tried to get my belongings for the second time, as she then again blocked the door. So after realizing I was not getting my things I had left. Then I called the police and wrote a report on what is now my ex-girlfriend.”
In her petition for a protective order, the baby’s mother alleged, “On June 20, I woke my ex-partner up at 7:05 in the morning and asked if he wanted to hold his son and say good morning to him. Then he responded ‘why would you wake me up at 7 in the morning.’ I said because you’ve been working for two weeks straight. You don’t ever get the chance to do this because you’ve been working.
“Then he said ‘yeah, and I haven’t slept the whole time because I was working, so let me sleep.’ I asked him again if he wanted to hold his son and I told him to wash his hands and put cologne on because he smokes cigarettes…I didn’t want my son inhaling cigarette smoke left on (his) clothes. Then he got mad because I told him that and he called me a piece of s… and a b…. and said he is leaving and never coming back…He then packed his stuff and I held the front door open for him.
“He handed me my son after saying goodbye to him and I put my son in the crib and grabbed his belongings and withheld them in the closet and told him he isn’t leaving his family. That’s when he told me he was going to violently grab my wrists and throw me on the bed…He then said he is going to record and turn it into police. When he started the video, he then asked me please get away from the door three times, but didn’t say please till he started recording.
“Then he grabbed my wrist and tried to throw me on the bed and (I) grabbed him and we ended on the bed wrestling each other…When I grabbed him, I accidentally ripped his shirt. I did not mean to head bump him…I did not hit him. I immediately tried to get back to the closet door and I did that when he just left and called the police. Then I waited till they came. He got his belongings and left.”
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