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Background: The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office in Rockwell City, Iowa (Google Maps). Inset: Emma Swanson (Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office).
An Iowa woman was accused by police of endangering her newborn son after she allegedly failed to provide him the medical care he needed.
Emma Swanson, 22, was taken into custody on May 29 following an investigation into the well-being of her newborn son that occurred in late 2024. As per court documents obtained by local news source The Messenger, Swanson’s son was diagnosed by physicians with failure to thrive at 2 months old. During a discussion with Rockwell City police and a child protective services representative, Swanson allegedly admitted she knew her son was underweight but purportedly did not take action to address it.
But concerns for the baby went beyond just his low weight — authorities believed he was being “intentionally” abused, allegedly by his own mother.
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The court documents indicate that Swanson reportedly informed police of her son’s seizure in July 2024. She allegedly did not seek medical help for the infant, opting instead to record the incident on her cellphone. He reportedly experienced seizures again in October 2024.
In September 2024, doctors observed injuries to the child’s genital area, which they suspect were allegedly inflicted by Swanson through “unreasonable force,” possibly by pinching or striking. She allegedly postponed seeking medical attention despite having access to it.
The documents stated that the alleged abuse against the baby escalated the following month, when the baby was brought in once again in October 2024 for serious injuries including a skull fracture, subdural hematomas, and several hemorrhages that caused damage to the baby’s eye as well as a stroke. Police said that Swanson still allegedly delayed seeking medical care for her baby, which made the effects of the injuries worse.
Swanson reportedly brought her baby to the hospital after the boy’s father urged her to get him medical attention after she left him in his care. When Swanson finally brought the boy to the hospital on Oct. 4, 2024, she reportedly claimed it was an accidental fall from a swing onto a carpeted floor.
Medical professionals who examined the baby reportedly determined that the injuries were caused by non-accidental trauma. According to the court documents, Swanson allegedly “intentionally used unreasonable force, including shaking or striking” that resulted in the baby’s serious injuries.
Police said that while Swanson was being questioned about the alleged abuse against her son, she acted unfazed” and “blamed medical staff for malpractice, and posted on social media, suggesting a lack of accountability.”
Both law enforcement and medical professionals came to the conclusion that Swanson was allegedly intentionally causing harm to her son. A warrant was issued for her arrest in late May and she was taken into custody by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department. Swanson was charged with one count of child endangerment and one count of causing serious injury, both felonies.
Swanson was being held on $35,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
