2 weeks ago
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[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A Mississippi mom is facing charges of felony child abuse after allegedly failing to go through with a “suicide pact” with her 10-year-old.
While speaking with People, Ocean Springs Deputy Chief of Police Steven Dye revealed back on July 6 that Ocean Springs Police Department got a harrowing call. They responded to the scene of a Studio 6 Motel where a 10-year-old had overdosed on pills around 6:25 p.m., according to Police Chief Ryan Lemaire. The child was unresponsive upon arrival, and was promptly separated from her mother, Brittney Leigh Hensley. Both mom and daughter were rushed to the hospital, with the 10-year-old being taken by helicopter to a different hospital.
Luckily, the girl survived, but now police were left with a grim scene. Inside the motel room, law enforcement found “several unknown capsules and empty prescription medication bottles in a green backpack” nearby where the young girl was found. The medicine was allegedly prescribed to her mother, which raised more questions.
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Investigators eventually learned the mom and daughter had allegedly made a “suicide pact”. They both were going to take the medication, and Hensley claimed to have taken it herself. The only thing was, though, she wasn’t in the same shape her daughter was. Despite telling law enforcement how much she took and at what time, a physician’s statement painted a different story.
Dye told the outlet that while in the hospital, the mother had bloodwork done, and the results of her bloodwork did NOT match up with the story she told. In fact, the doctor said if Hensley’s statements were “true and accurate then she would have been deceased”. The official bloodwork results haven’t been released, but according to preliminary findings, investigators now believe the mom backed out of their pact.
How horrible… Was she just planning to let her child die?
As all this evidence was being compiled, police say Hensley ran to Alabama. By October 14, Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers had put out a wanted poster on Facebook, explaining she had a warrant out for her arrest. On October 15, the mother was arrested by Huntsville police. As of October 31, it’s unclear if she has retained a lawyer, and she’s yet to be indicted. The case has also not gone to a grand jury.
Dye told the outlet the authorities are looking to strengthen the case before handing it over to the DA’s office. He explained:
“It is very tragic. It’s cases that we wish would never occur, but at least when we work these cases and apprehend the bad guy, we can hold their feet to the fire on what they’ve done. That’s the main thing for us: People need to be held accountable for their actions.”
The Deputy Chief also stated the situation has shaken the small Mississippi community because “no one wants to see a child hurt”. He said it’s been especially tough on the officers that have children of their own, as it “always a little bit harder on us”:
“Any time we’re dealing with a child in a situation like this, it is very tough. It pulls on our heartstrings.”
So heartbreaking… We’re so glad to hear the girl survived.
Currently, the alleged victim is in custody of Mississippi Child Protective Services, while her mom was extradited from Alabama back to her home state. We hope the little girl can get the justice she deserves.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, by calling, texting, or chatting, or go to 988lifeline.org.
[Image via Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers/Facebook]
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