Montana

Great Falls baby brain-dead, mother facing charges

Posted: Sep 19, 2012 8:49 PM by Beth Beechie - MTN News
Updated: Sep 19, 2012 8:50 PM

GREAT FALLS - A woman appeared in court Wednesday afternoon on accusations she hurt her baby, inducing irreversible brain injury.

Jasmine Nicole Eskew, 21, has been charged with with felony aggravated assault and felony criminal endangerment after reportedly admitting that she shook her 6-month-old daughter. The baby was airlifted to a hospital in Spokane late Tuesday night.

During the court appearance, officials in Spokane contacted the Cascade County Attorney's office to inform them that the infant is brain dead.

County Attorney John Parker filed an amended bond request, and bond for Eskew was raised from $50,000 to $100,000.

Within the last five years, Great falls has seen four child homicides in addition to last night's incident.

One of the most recent cases involved two-year-old October Perez. Her mother's boyfriend was found guilty for the murder and sentenced to 100 years in prison without parole.

Lacey Racine of Victim-Witness Assistance Services says that there are resources for parents who need help: "A child's a child and they don't have rules or guidelines at that age, at many stages in life, to deal with frustrations in their own anger. So they model the people around them's behavior. And children in the U.S. are more likely to be victimized, violently, in their own home than on the streets."

You can contact Victim-Witness Assistance Services at their website or by calling 406-315-1111.