BEAUMONT, Texas — Police say the Beaumont mother accused of child abuse in connection with the death of her 5-month-old baby boy in October 2022 repeatedly lied to them before eventually admitting she knew he was injured.
Quenisha Hawkins, 27, of Beaumont, was arrested Friday, December 9, 2022, on charges of injury to a child by act causing serious body injury and injury to a child by omission causing serious body injury.
A forensic medical examination of 5-month-old JaKaiden Shaw showed that he was suffering multiple injuries according to a probable cause affidavit obtained Tuesday by 12News.
His injuries included subarachnoid and subdural brain hemorrhages, severe bilateral detached retinas, a severe retinal hemorrhage and several broken bones throughout his body police said in the affidavit.
Police say that Hawkins is the only person who lied "repeatedly" during their investigation.
They say "multiple" people noticed that the baby needed help and several urged Hawkins to get medical care for her baby.
In the end police say that she did admit to them that she was aware of baby Shaw's symptoms.
Police say they believe the injuries were a result of the infant being "violently" shaken more than once for a "sustained time" over about 10 days before September 29, 2022.
The trauma caused baby Shaw to suffer from a severe bacterial infection, or sepsis, for at least eight days police said in the affidavit.
Police say that during that time no one sought treatment for the baby including his mother.
They also say in the affidavit that Hawkins was the only person "in perpetual access, care, custody and control" of baby Shaw when he was shaken as well as the eight days he was suffering from sepsis.
Police officers were initially flagged down at the Sunlight Manor Apartments on September 29, 2022 and told that the baby was unresponsive.
After the baby was taken by ambulance to a Beaumont hospital he was flown by medical helicopter to a Galveston hospital where, about a month later, he died on October 30, 2022.
Hawkins is being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on bonds set at $500,000 on the two first degree felony charges for a total of $1 million.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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