An Indiana mother, just 20 years old and pregnant, faces serious allegations after reportedly throwing her 1-year-old daughter in a moment of distress over the child’s crying. The incident has left the young girl with critical head and brain injuries that necessitated urgent surgical intervention.
On Tuesday, authorities reported that Alexandria G. Ring was arrested and faces charges of domestic battery involving a family member under the age of 14, as well as neglect of a dependent.
There is a discrepancy in the spelling of the defendant’s first name, with law enforcement and jail records listing it as “Alexandrea,” while court records indicate “Alexandria.”
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at approximately 5:25 p.m., officers from the Evansville, Indiana, Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of S. Kentucky Avenue following a report concerning an unresponsive child. The residence is located approximately 165 miles to the southwest of Indianapolis.
First responders quickly reached the location, found the victim, and took her to a nearby hospital for care. Medical staff at the hospital who assessed the victim reported that she sustained “serious head injuries,” which involved cranial bleeding and swelling that necessitated urgent surgery to alleviate pressure on her brain. Reports indicate that the baby was observed to have noticeable bruising on her forehead, behind both ears, and on her arms, stomach, and buttocks.
During a later interrogation with investigators at the police station, Ring reportedly confessed to causing the life-threatening injuries to her daughter.
As stated in the announcement, Ring reported that her daughter had soiled her clothing around 2 p.m. that day because of a poorly fitting diaper. After changing the child’s diaper, Ring reported that her daughter started to cry. Ring reportedly expressed that she “couldn’t manage the crying,” noting that it “triggered her.”
“Ring further described an incident in which she held the child over a Pack ‘n Play and ‘threw her in it,’” police wrote in the release. “Ring, who is 30 weeks pregnant, later altered her account, claiming that her large belly prevented her from placing the victim in the Pack ‘n Play properly, and that she accidentally dropped the child. She also explained that after lifting the victim, she sat her on the floor, where the child fell face-first into a cabinet, striking her head on a metal piece, which she claimed caused the bruising to the victim’s forehead.”
Authorities indicated that Ring significantly worsened her daughter’s situation by not obtaining medical help promptly following the incident that occurred at 2 p.m.
“Despite the child showing signs of lethargy and falling in and out of consciousness, Ring did not call 9-1-1 until approximately 5:23 p.m. when her boyfriend returned home from work,” the release states. “Ring contacted her boyfriend earlier to express concern about the victim’s condition but failed to seek medical help until later.”
Ring is presently detained at the Vanderburgh County Jail with a cash-only bond set at $15,000. She has been instructed to refrain from any communication with her daughter.
The initial hearing for Ring has been set by a judge for the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.