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A Bratt couple is facing felony child abuse charges after a young girl was airlifted to the hospital with numerous broken bones and injuries.
Shannon Anthony Barnhill, 28, was charged with first degree felony aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm. Brittany Paige Barnhill, 24, was charged with second degree felony child neglect with great bodily harm for failing to make a reasonable effort to protect the child from abuse.
The young victim was airlifted to the University of South Alabama Children’s and Women’s Hospital with head trauma. She suffered a skull fracture, a fractured collarbone, a fractured leg, a fractured arm, and was hemorrhaging, according to an arrest report. The child also had healing rib fractures on both sides and a healing left arm fracture from previous injuries.
A Florida Department of Children and Families investigator stated that a witness said Shannon Barnhill hit the child in the head two times. The report noted that the child is not capable of rolling over, crawling or standing due to her young age, according to an arrest report.
The DCF investigator stated Brittany Barnhill provided several different stories to explain the extensive injuries, but none of the reasons were plausible and did not explain the injuries. Her stories included the child was delivered with forceps, she was hit with a toy, she fell out of her bassinet three to four weeks ago and she has seizures, according to DCF.
Most of Shannon Barnhill’s statements were redacted from his arrest report. The arrest report states he told the investigator that the child fell and then said she fell “a while back”. The DCF investigator also said Shannon Barnhill told him “I didn’t hit the kid” without being prompted.
During the recorded 911 call, Shannon Barnhill never told the operator that the child fell. Instead, he said she was screaming and then became unresponsive like she was having a stroke.
Two of Brittany Barnhill’s relatives told DCF that they had seen the day the child on the day was flown to the hospital, and the child appeared to be uninjured and slept most of the time.
This was not the first time DCF had contact with the Barnhill family.
In 2015, DEF was alerted to household violence that threatened a child, but the case was closed with no indicators of child abuse. The investigator noted verbal aggression by Brittany (Mize) Barnhill.
In 2017, another child of the Barnhills was taken to the hospital because he favored his right leg. A scan revealed the growth of new bone around the child’s leg and a small healing bruise on the child’s buttocks consistent with the size and shape of a finger, according to the arrest report. The case was closed with notations that the parents’ reactions were abnormal considering the circumstances. An arrest report states the parents immediately told the investigator that they did not injure the child and that their 1-year old daughter could have been the perpetrator.
In late July, the DCF Child Protection Team examined three other siblings in the home that indicated abuse, the arrest report states. DCF said all three had marks and bruises in various places that included the buttocks, back, legs and shoulders. One child had marks from what appeared to be a belt. DCF noted that all three children were delayed and could not be fully interviewed.
Shannon Barnhill remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000, while Brittany Barnhill was jailed with bond set at $50,000.
Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES
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