Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Court documents show that a Jonesboro mother will not face time behind bars after pleading guilty Monday to severely injuring her baby in 2024.
Second Judicial Circuit Judge Randy Philhours sentenced 21-year-old Ryanne Foster to 36 months of probation after she pleaded guilty to second-degree battery, a class D felony.
| READ MORE: Jonesboro Woman Accused of Severely Injuring Six-Month-Old Baby
The sentencing order states that, in addition to her probation, Foster must have no contact with the victim, obtain a GED, and pay all court costs and fines in monthly payments of $75 starting in Aug. 2026. If she violates her probation terms, she faces up to six years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and/or a fine up to $10,000.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on July 10, 2024, Jonesboro police investigated a complaint made about the child after they were taken to St. Bernards, then later transferred to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis due to the severity of his injuries.
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Foster and the child’s father attributed the injuries to the child’s premature birth, recurring seizures, and a fall from a couch. However, Sergeant Bill Brown determined the couch was too low to have caused the extent of the trauma.
Medical examinations at Le Bonheur identified brain hemorrhaging, micro-bruising, and multiple fractures consistent with severe physical abuse or a major accident, contradicting the parents’ claims.
The affidavit goes on to say that both parents confirmed that Foster was the primary caregiver during the alleged seizure episodes when the father was absent.
The father expressed concern regarding the child’s care, describing the mother’s emotional detachment and her referring to the baby as a “sack of flour,” which he felt indicated she was more emotionally connected to their dog than the child.
Given the absence of any major accident, investigators concluded the injuries were the result of severe physical abuse.
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