TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa mother was arrested Monday about two months after her toddler was hospitalized with multiple injuries, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called to Brandon Regional Hospital on September 15 for an 18-month-old patient “with multiple injuries, including wounds on the face, neck, and arm, as well as bruising behind the ear and on the right thigh.”
The child’s mother, Alexis Hardacre, 27, was accused of repeatedly slamming the toddler into a crib and forcefully restraining them on multiple occasions, according to a release from HCSO.
“This case is gut-wrenching. No child should ever endure the pain and suffering inflicted on this innocent baby,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a news release. “We will always protect the most vulnerable members of our community and ensure those who harm them are held accountable.”
The sheriff’s office said Hardacre admitted to injuring the toddler and said that she “lost her patience when the baby refused to sleep during nap time.” Hardacre was arrested Monday and charged with one count of child abuse.