A Tooele woman faces felony child abuse charges after a child under her care was found covered in bruises after he was dropped off at a daycare in Salt Lake City.
Christie Sommers, 53, is charged with second-degree felony child abuse, enhanced due to the seriousness of the inflicted injuries.
The Tooele City Police Department was notified of the injuries on the 3-year-old male victim after Sommers took him to daycare at the beginning of the month. The staff noticed the victim had bruising over most of his body and was in and out of consciousness, according to a probable cause statement.
The staff took pictures showing the victim with two black eyes, bruising behind both ears and on his legs and entire upper half of his back. He was taken by ambulance to Primary Children’s Hospital due to the severity of his injuries and lack of consciousness, the statement said.
Doctors at the hospital concluded the injuries could not be explained by a bruising condition or Sommers’ insistence the injuries were the result of being hit in the back of the head by a soccer ball about one week prior, according to the probable cause statement.
In February, police were called by a concerned resident who observed the same child with injuries consistent with those seen this month while in the care of Sommers, the statement said. During the investigation into that incident, Sommers claimed she only had custody of the child for four days because his parents were arrested and the bruising had already been there.
Police were able to contact Sommers and she was brought to the Tooele City Police Department where she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights. She was arrested and booked at the Tooele County Detention Facility on child abuse charges.
Sommers is scheduled to make her initial appearance in 3rd District Court on June 20 at 10:28 a.m. before Judge Robert Adkins.