A Missouri mother found herself in jail just before Christmas after allegedly abusing her sons. Maryland Heights police arrested Lisa Layton on December 17, 2025, after a 12-year-old was found with bruises on his body that he claimed his mother put there with a rubber spatula. An 11-year-old boy also talked to the police and made similar allegations against his mother. When authorities spoke to Layton, she apparently didn’t deny the allegations, and some people thought the police went too far arresting her. That’s until they learned about another alleged crime in her past.
According to a court document, Ben Berges with the Maryland Heights Police Department interviewed the boys, who claimed the abuse took place on December 16. It’s unclear who contacted police, but Berges spoke with Layton shortly after talking with her son.
“When interviewed by police, defendant admitted to beating both children with the spatula,” he noted in the document. “I believe that the defendant poses a danger to a crime victim and the community because of the nature of the allegations.”
The child abuse allegations are bad enough, but an arrest warrant revealed more disturbing information. Judge Nicolette Klapp gave Layton a $750,000 cash-only bond. The warrant noted the reason behind the high bond amount was due to “the nature of allegations and the previous investigation for the starvation death of a 9-month-old.” That certainly takes the case to a more frightening level.
As news of Layton’s arrest spread on social media, some people believed that the police went too far.
“Can’t discipline your kids anymore, huh? That’s why this generation is so weak,” someone wrote.
“Thats crazy cus the things I got my a– beat with would have put her under the jail,” another person noted.
But others pointed out there was more to Layton’s story than physical abuse. “Yall not reading the last part about a starvation death of a 9 month old child she deadahh evil bruh,” one comment read.
“So basically she shouldn’t never been allowed around kids …. she was already under investigation for the death of a child …why is she even allowed around other kids,” another person agreed.
“Now I wasn’t going to think much until they mentioned the suspicious baby starving,” a third person added.
Layton faces two charges of child abuse or neglect. Her next court appearance is scheduled for late January. Hopefully, her sons will be happy and safe in a loving home from now on.
