A Glasgow mother has been arrested after assaulting her four-month-old baby.
On Monday, the Barren County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Brittney Benigni after she admitted to shaking and striking her baby girl multiple times in mid-June. She also said she yanked her baby’s leg so violently it flipped the child. After assaulting her baby, Benigni said she went outside their Bethel Church Road residence (about six miles south of Glasgow) and smoked a cigarette with headphones on to drown out the cries of her baby.
The baby suffered several skull fractures and brain bleeds, with police saying she could lose her eyesight as a result of the assault, according to media reports.
The investigation into Benigni began when a social services investigation into the abuse was turned over to the sheriff’s office after the baby was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on June 14. While being interviewed by police at the hospital Benigni said she dropped her baby on a table.
Ten days later, police received a report from Vanderbilt saying that the baby suffered abusive head trauma, leading law enforcement to re-interview Benigni. During that interrogation, Benigni admitted to assaulting her child.
She’s been charged with criminal abuse of a child under the age of 12 and is being held in the Barren County Detention Center on a $25,000 cash bond.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
