A Pennsylvania woman is accused of knocking her young child unconscious while shopping at a Walmart after repeatedly “slamming” him into and out of a shopping cart in front of witnesses.
Samantha Fletcher faces charges including aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, and simple assault in connection with the incident.
According to Tullytown Borough Police, officers responded March 14 to a welfare check at a Walmart on the 100 block of Levittown Parkway.
At the scene, a witness told police they saw a woman acting erratically while shopping with her children.
“He observed a female appearing to be under the influence, screaming profanities at two small children and dragging the one child around the floor by a backpack leash while he was crying hysterically,” the release said. “The witness stated the female picked up the child and dropped him into a shopping cart, causing him to hit his head. At some point the child lost consciousness.”
Officers later located Fletcher inside the store, where she was holding the unconscious child in her arms.
Emergency responders determined the child needed immediate medical attention. Investigators said they concluded Fletcher was responsible for the child’s injuries.
Authorities took Fletcher into custody and arraigned her before Magisterial District Judge Terrence P. Hughes, who ordered her held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility on a $10,000 bond.
Court documents state that a shopper had approached Fletcher to offer help with the crying child. The witness said the child briefly calmed down when held, resting his head on the person’s shoulder.
Investigators allege Fletcher then escalated her behavior, repeatedly handling the child violently and “slamming” him in and out of the shopping cart at least five times. During one instance, the child struck his head and soon lost consciousness.
When officers arrived, they found the boy unresponsive, with another child asleep in the cart. Medics were unable to wake him and observed a large bruise on his forehead.
The child was taken by ambulance to St. Mary Medical Center, where a CT scan showed he had suffered a serious concussion.
Child protective services were notified, and the children were later released to their father.
Fletcher is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on April 24, according to records.
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