JOPLIN, Mo. (KSNW) — An infant that was left alone for an unknown period was rescued from an apartment in Joplin, Missouri.
KSN’s sister station, KSNF in Joplin, reports that an investigator with the Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services had visited an apartment to follow up on a case when she heard a baby crying inside. After attempting to get someone to answer the door for 45 minutes, she contacted the police.
With help from the apartment manager, police and the investigator entered the apartment. The approximately 4-month-old infant was found wedged between an adult mattress and a wall with a blanket over their face.
The infant was in an extremely soiled diaper. They were taken to a child abuse assessment and treatment center for an exam, where they noted bruising on their face and diaper dermatitis with skin breakdown.
Joplin police say they found a note inside the apartment that read, “went to go score be right back.” They arrested Kaitlyn Estes, 23, three days later.
Estes has been arraigned on charges of child endangerment and child abuse and is being held on a $5,000 bond.
