An Ohio mother has been arrested and charged with felony assault and child endangerment after allegedly repeatedly and aggressively dunking her infant daughter underwater. The incident happened over the summer in a public park in Warren County.
Initial reports of the incident do not say what the motive was for the alleged assault, or if the mother is dealing with any sort of mental health issues. She has another child who claims that their quality of care was declining in the days leading up to the incident. The mother is expected in court this month.
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The alleged assault occurred earlier this year.
The mother, Sharon Rose O’Hara, was arrested and indicted on felonious assault and child endangering charges, according to WXIX. Prosecutors in Warren County, Ohio, state that witnesses saw the mother harming her infant at Caesar Creek State Park in July 2024.
The woman was reportedly harming her child in plain sight.
The witnesses said they saw the mother repeatedly banging the infant’s car seat on the ground, with the baby still inside. She then brought the girl closer to the water, where her behavior became even more aggressive, prosecutors claimed.
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She brought the child into the water.
The witnesses reported seeing the mother slamming the car seat under the water while the infant was still in it. She then took the baby out of the carrier, flipping her back and forth while she continued to dunk her under the water, prosecutors said.
Thankfully, bystanders stepped in.
After seeing O’Hara assaulting her child, bystanders stepped in to rescue the infant, while others called the police.
The mother has another child who is older. That child told officials the children were not being properly cared for in the days leading up to the incident. Both children are currently in the care of a relative.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
