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Malnourished Toddler Weighing 19 Pounds Found In Bristol Township; Mom Charged: DA

A malnourished toddler weighing just 19 pounds — the average weight of a 9-month-old — was found neglected in Bristol Township, authorities said on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Breanna Marie Newman, 27, was arrested on felony child endangerment charges after her 27-month-old son was discovered in an apartment on Dec. 16, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced.

The boy was transported to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where medical experts detailed his critical condition, including declining motor skills, a dangerously low heart rate, and severe malnutrition. Investigators said Newman failed to seek medical care, fearing it could lead to her losing custody of her son, according to the report.

The investigation revealed Newman moved from Indiana to Pennsylvania in July to live with a man she met online. After their relationship ended, she relocated with a new boyfriend to Montgomery County and later moved to Bristol Township with a female friend. That friend reportedly noticed the boy’s declining health and recommended a medical assistance program, which Newman refused, investigators said.

Bucks County Children and Youth received a tip and found the child in a severely neglected state. The boy has since gained 10 pounds under hospital care.

“This is a terrible case of abuse and neglect,” District Attorney Schorn said. “There is absolutely no justification for this type of extreme neglect. No child deserves to suffer like this.”

Newman was charged on Thursday, Jan. 9, and is being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility on $250,000 bail, 10 percent. Chief Deputy District Attorney Kristin M. McElroy is prosecuting the case.

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