You step into a story that unsettles trust in places built for healing. Staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital alerted police after video and staff observations led to allegations that a mother injected a foreign substance into her child’s IV line, sparking immediate safety protocols and an arrest. The central question—what happened, why it matters for hospital safety, and what the legal fallout could mean—frames every detail that follows.
Expect a clear timeline of the allegation, how hospital staff detected and responded to the incident, and the charges and court steps that now shape this case. The next sections unpack those elements so you can understand both the specific claims and the broader implications for patient protection and oversight.
Details of the Hospital Contamination Allegation
Hospital staff say a mother allegedly used a syringe to introduce a visible foreign substance into her infant’s IV line while the child was admitted for treatment. Police records and hospital surveillance form the core of the allegation; the accused was detained and charged in local court.
Incident Timeline and Surveillance Evidence
Hospital personnel told police they first flagged potential abuse on Feb. 6 when staff raised concerns about the child’s condition and the mother’s interactions. According to a criminal complaint filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, staff then placed the mother under observation during visits.
On Feb. 8, staff reviewed surveillance footage and said they observed the mother enter a bathroom carrying a cup and later exit with what appeared to be fecal matter. Hospital employees reported seeing the woman use a syringe and inject a substance from that cup into the child’s IV line near the top of the baby’s left hand, per court documents. Detectives interviewed staff and reviewed the video as part of the investigation.
Accused Individual: Tiffany Marie Lesueur
Authorities identified the woman as Tiffany Marie Lesueur, 35, of Maumee. Court filings list a charge of child endangerment, a third-degree felony, tied to the Feb. 8 incident at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus…