Mom of Baby Who Had Leg Partially Amputated Because of Frostbite Charged

An Indiana woman has been charged with neglect after her infant son's leg had to be partially amputated because of severe frostbite.

Brittney Dickens, 33, from Elkhart, about 160 miles north of Indianapolis, was charged with one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury on Thursday, June 1.

According to court documents obtained by The Elkhart Truth, police were called to an Elkhart hospital in December after Dickens' son was found to be suffering from frostbite and potentially life-threatening ailments.

The outlet reported the boy was under three months old and had severe frostbite on his right foot and an infection that had entered his bloodstream. This resulted in the decision to amputate his right leg below the knee.

According to the American Society for the Protective Care of Children, 4 million maltreatment referral reports were received in 2021.

It added the child abuse reports involved 7.2 million children and that 90.6 percent of victims are maltreated by one or both parents.

Dickens told officers she did not know how her son got frostbite, according to the outlet, and it was discovered that the child was suffering from severe malnutrition, dehydration, septic shock, renal failure and other conditions. The baby was also covered in human waste and dirt. He was subsequently moved to foster care.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, frostbite is a type of injury caused by freezing that can lead to a loss of feeling and color in affected areas. It can lead to permanent damage and in severe cases amputation may be required.

Symptoms and signs of frostbite include a white or grayish-yellow skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, and numbness.

People who notice signs of frostbite in themselves or someone else must seek medical attention, and take action which includes:

• Get the person into a warm room as soon as possible.
• Unless absolutely necessary, do not walk on feet or toes that show signs of frostbite—this can increase damage.
• Do not rub the frostbite area with snow or massage it at all. This can also cause damage.
• Put the areas affected by frostbite in warm—not hot—water (the temperature should be comfortable to the touch for unaffected parts of the body).
• If warm water is not available, warm the affected area using body heat. For example, you can use the heat of an armpit to warm frostbitten fingers.
• Do not use a heating pad, heat lamp, or the heat of a stove, fireplace, or radiator for warming. Affected areas are numb and can easily burn.
• Go to an emergency room for treatment.

Newsweek has contacted the Elkhart Police Department for comment via email.