Foster Mother Arrested On Child Injury Charge

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A 42-year-old foster mother, Michelle Lee Hayes, from Marshall Texas,  was arrested last week for injury to a child after she allegedly abused a toddler in her care which caused bruising, swelling and bleeding to the child’s brain.

“She’s a brand new foster parent,” said Shari Pulliam, media specialist for Child Protective Services.

According to the Marshall News Messenger, Pulliam said that the 1.5-year-old toddler boy, was one of three siblings that had just been placed in the Hayes’ home in Marshall in early April.

Pulliam said that as soon as they learned of the injuries, CPS responded immediately removing all of the children from the home.

“We took the appropriate steps,” she said. “We protected these children as soon as we heard about it and we’ll continue to work with law enforcement on this case.”

Hayes, was arrested last Friday and was released on Saturday on a $150,000 bond.

According to the arrest affidavit, Hayes is accused of hurting the child on or about May 2, which was last Tuesday, “by slamming his head against his crib causing bruising, swelling and bleeding in his brain; by squeezing his face causing bruising and swelling; by thumping his back causing bruising; and striking him with a spoon causing bruising.”

Police were warned about the abuse after being dispatched to Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall for a child in the emergency department with significant injuries.

The ER Doctor informed investigators that the child’s injuries were not consistent with what Hayes told the medical staff upon arrival.

“The defendant initially stated that she had been at the City Park on Grove Street around 10:30 a.m. and the child fell from a play set, where he received his injuries,” the affidavit reads.