LIVE OAK, Fla. (Court TV) — A Florida caregiver is facing multiple charges after a 10-month-old lost their eyesight after suffering severe abuse.
Heather Hogan, 39, was arrested Thursday after a month-long investigation. On Jan. 14, authorities responded to the scene after she reported the child “had a seizure and fell off of the couch a couple of times,” according to the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office.
Heather Hogan is taken into custody Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office)
At the hospital, it was determined the child had extensive bruising on their body, a broken clavicle bone and tested positive cannabis in their system. The child was then transferred to another hospital due to the extent of their injuries. Authorities said while there, “Comprehensive medical examinations revealed the true scope of the abuse the child had endured.”
“The child exhibited injuries inside the mouth, impeding eating, alongside numerous bruises of varying ages across the body, including an injury to the leg and buttocks. Moreover, several vertebral compression fractures, spinal fractures, and a metaphysis fracture on the leg were identified. These injuries align with forceful yanking on the leg and severe impact on the buttocks against a hard surface, commonly associated with severe child abuse cases. Subdural hematomas were also discovered, and the child had lost the ability to see. Medical professionals anticipate that the child will endure long-term disabilities resulting from the sustained abuse,” the sheriff’s office said.
Following an investigation that included Hogan’s cellphone data and web search history, Hogan was arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse and child neglect. Her bond was set at $600,000.
