Parker County woman accused of child abuse in death of 5-year-old son, sheriff says

A Parker County woman suspected of child abuse has been arrested after her 5-year-old son died Monday, according to the sheriff’s office.

Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said in a news release that the mother, Brooke Baker Chadwick, contacted emergency services just before 7 p.m. on May 7 and said her son was unresponsive and “not breathing right.”

Paramedics and firefighters responded to the family’s home in the 600 block of Soaring Star Lane in Aledo and took the boy to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth.

Chadwick, 42, told deputies that her child suffered from a cognitive disorder, which caused him to fall frequently, according to the news release. She said her son had tripped and fallen, hitting his head on the tile floor in their home. Deputies saw a large bump on the child’s head.

Medical staff reported several of the child’s injuries were inconsistent with a fall and based upon the expert opinion of the Cook Children’s Medical Center care team, the trauma to the child was consistent with child abuse. The child was placed on life support in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and died Monday at 7:33 a.m.

Chadwick was charged with first-degree felony injury to a child with intent of serious bodily injury. She was arrested by Crimes Against Children investigators earlier this week in Tarrant County.

Authier said the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death pending an autopsy.

Child witnesses were interviewed by professionals at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Parker County, the sheriff’s office said. The Department of Family and Protective Services (Child Protective Services) was also contacted regarding other children in the residence.

Authier said the case is still under investigation and when complete, will be forwarded to the Parker County District Attorney’s Office seeking prosecution.