Police: Tulsa Child Abuse case ‘more serious’
than most

TULSA, OK  –  A baby is in critical condition and police believe his mother put him there.

Tulsa police arrested Ruth Lewis for child neglect and abuse Wednesday.

They said Lewis’ seven-month-old child has injuries they believe only an adult could cause, and the child was in her care.

Corporal Greg Smith with the Tulsa Police Child Crisis Unit said he has seen his fair share of child abuse cases.

“This one is a much more serious injury than average,” Smith said.

Doctors called police when a seven-month-old baby showed up in the hospital Tuesday with a serious brain injury.

Smith said it was similar to a concussion, but worse.  He said it was likely caused by shaking or being dropped from a high distance.

Smith said it appears the child’s mother, Ruth Lewis, may not have called an ambulance immediately after the injury.

He said she may have even waited an hour.

Police found Lewis’ other child, an 18-month-old, suffered severe diaper rash they believe would have taken days to cause.

Officers arrested Lewis for child abuse injury and two counts of child neglect Wednesday.  They said those charges will change if the baby does not survive.

Though Smith said the case is more severe than most, but Tulsa police get around 1,500 child abuse reports each year.

They investigate 900 of those and end up charging around 100 people for actually hurting kids.

The boy’s father was also arrested during the interview process, but police said that was the result of other warrants and had nothing to do with abuse.