Prosecutors say a woman struck an infant girl in the face and allowed her to fall off a counter in Winthrop Harbor, leaving the child hospitalized with severe injuries.
Khayla J. Evans, 24, of the 3000 block of Serenade Street in Grand Prairie, Texas, was charged with aggravated battery to a child, reckless conduct causing great bodily harm, child endangerment and two counts of domestic battery.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Lindsay Hicks said during a bond hearing Friday that the victim in the case is a child younger than one-year-old.
Evans, who is extended family to the child, was at a home in Winthrop Harbor while the child’s mother was away.
The mother came home Thursday to find the infant with multiple injuries.
The mother rushed the child to the emergency room.
Hicks said the child’s face was “completely swollen” and bleeding from the eye.
The child suffered severe trauma and was being monitored for a concussion, hearing loss and other injuries.
Doctors reported the infant had a subconjunctival hematoma in the left eye and a closed head injury, Hicks said.
Evans allegedly told the child’s mother that she intentionally struck the child in the face and then left the child on a counter so that the child could fall off of it.
Evans said she had been trying to get the child alone for hours so she could injure her, Hicks said during the hearing.
Evans said she knew she would intentionally harm the child when she was alone with her.
Hicks said that Evans made similar admissions to investigating officers.
Assistant Public Defender Emily Halter said Evans has “serious mental health issues,” including bipolar disorder.
Halter added that Evans would want to go to a mental health hospital if released from custody.
Lake County Judge Raymond Collins ordered the woman held on a $250,000 bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 26.