COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A 9-month-old baby is in critical condition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital after his mother threw him across the room, Columbus police said.
Thirty-year-old Billie Jo Tustin is charged with felonious assault after investigators said she threw her infant about 15 feet onto his head Wednesday night at an apartment along North 4th Street in the Italian Village neighborhood.
A criminal complaint also alleges she had previously thrown and struck the baby before the incident.
In a 911 call obtained by ABC 6, Tustin can be heard telling dispatchers, “My 9-month-old isn’t breathing.” It is unclear how long Tustin waited to contact emergency crews after allegedly assaulting her son. Police said Tustin’s 3-year-old daughter also was in the home when the alleged assault occurred, but she was not harmed.
Tustin’s boyfriend, who lives with Tustin and her children, told ABC 6 off-camera she suffers from “severe mental illness.” He said she feared seeking treatment because she believed she could lose custody of her children.
Neighbors who also live along North 4th Street expressed shock Thursday that a neighbor could allegedly commit such a violent act on their own child.
“I’m frustrated when someone does something to someone that is so innocent,” neighbor Kelli Wallace said. “To hear he was spanked, slapped, launched, and thrown? I can’t even imagine what the 3-year-old probably has endured before something like this happened. I didn’t even know that she had a second child because she never comes out. No one really knows her.”
Franklin County Children Services confirmed it had prior involvement with the family. Officials said Tustin was attempting to end her affiliation with the agency before Wednesday’s assault. Her 3-year-old daughter is now in the agency’s custody.
“The team at Franklin County Children Services is closely monitoring the condition of this 9-month-old baby boy,” FCCS spokesman Scott Varner said. “This alleged abuse by his mother is appalling and heartbreaking. Our agency has been connected to his mother, Billie Jo Tustin, who had been seeking to end our involvement with her family related to custody of her 3-year-old daughter. We will be pushing for the court to deny that.”
“Someone had to have known about her mental concerns,” Wallace added. “Whether grandmothers, aunts, or uncles, someone should have probably known and stepped up and said something before it came to this. They’re helpless, they’re defenseless, and it’s tragic.”
This case comes amid growing concerns about the connection between mental health crises and child abuse. Just last month, Daniel Neal was arrested after police say he killed his son by throwing him to the ground.
“Hopefully other families can see this story and speak up if you see anything,” Wallace added. “Because it’s so tragic and I just pray for that baby boy.”
Records obtained by ABC 6 also reveal police were called to Tustin’s home just last week, after a neighbor reported hearing domestic disputes and threats of violence.
“We will work with police and prosecutors as they hold accountable a parent who allegedly chose to harm their defenseless child,” Varner concluded.
Tustin is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.
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