Baby suffers broken bones; mother charged

Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)

Author: KAMMIE MICHAEL The Herald-Sun

A Durham woman was arrested Friday and charged with felony abuse of her 19-month-old daughter, who is in intensive care at Duke University Hospital.

Durham Police Detective A.H. Holland arrested Melinda Ann Wilkins, 31, of 1700-A Gunter St. on Friday.

Holland said the child was taken to Duke Aug. 16 with numerous injuries. The child, who was unconscious, suffered a blood clot on the brain, retinal hemorrhaging, a fractured back and a fractured skull. Holland said doctors also found evidence of old scars and rib fractures.

The mother first told Holland the child fell off a couch and hit her head while the mother was in the kitchen. Holland said she later told him she was playing with the child and tossing her in the air when the mother became dizzy and accidentally dropped the child on the floor.

Durham County Department of Social Services has taken custody of the child. There were no prior reports of abuse, Holland said.

The child was in intensive care at Duke until Sept. 5 and was later taken to Lenox Baker Hospital for therapy and rehabilitation, Holland said. The child suffered complications and was returned to Duke's intensive care unit, where she is still a patient, Holland said.

The child was apparently injured in a home near Duke University's East Campus, where Wilkins worked as a nanny. Holland said there were other children in the house at the time, but they were upstairs when the injuries occurred.