Mom charged with child abuse

Police have arrested the 21-year-old mother of a 6-month-old boy hospitalized in Lubbock with life-threatening injuries.

Amanda Fain was charged Thursday night with abuse of a child resulting in great bodily harm.

She is being held at the Curry County jail on $100,000 cash-only bond, jail officials said.

Police responded to Fain’s residence at 405 Johnson St. Tuesday morning for a report her infant son was gasping for breath.

The boy was later airlifted to a Lubbock hospital, where he received a poor prognosis.

Police Capt. Patrick Whitney said as of Friday, the child’s condition had not improved.

The investigation is ongoing, Whitney said, and detectives continue to interview friends and family.

“There was probable cause to believe that she caused the injuries to the child,” he said. “The motive or why at this point I can’t say; I don’t know.”

Fain’s other children were removed from the home and are in the custody of the state, Whitney said.

If the child does not survive, Whitney said, the charges could be modified to child abuse resulting in the death of a child, which is a special charge similar to murder but specifically addressing a case involving a child victim.

And the potential for other charges exists as the investigation continues, he said.

A 1-month-old girl injured in an unrelated case is also showing no improvement, Whitney said.

Officers were advised Tuesday by emergency room staff at Plains Regional Medical Center of healing fractures they found in X-rays of the girl.

She was transported to the same children’s unit at the Lubbock hospital where the boy was taken and underwent brain surgery.

Whitney said there have been no charges filed in connection with her injuries and the investigation is ongoing.