In a deeply disturbing case, a Washington couple has been charged with child abuse after a 1½-year-old girl was found with a fractured skull, spine, and severe burns, according to court records.
Calvin R. Brewer, 29, faces charges of first- and second-degree child assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment. His girlfriend, 28-year-old Leanna M. Paulson, has been charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment for allegedly failing to protect her child.
The horrifying abuse came to light on Feb. 14 when Paulson’s estranged husband called 911 after noticing severe bruising and burns on his daughter. Firefighters responded to a home in Newman Lake, where they found the toddler in and out of consciousness, struggling to breathe. She was rushed to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Court documents reveal that Paulson initially told her ex-husband that their daughter had fallen down the stairs and hit her crib railing. However, text messages and police interviews suggest a different reality. Paulson later admitted that Brewer had been watching the child and repeatedly provided conflicting explanations for her injuries.
Medical staff found extensive bruising on the girl’s body, as well as a brain bleed, and concluded that the injuries were consistent with severe child abuse. A nurse practitioner who treated the child just days earlier had observed minor bruising but reported that the toddler was otherwise alert and healthy.
Shockingly, Paulson admitted she avoided taking her daughter to daycare for fear that staff would report suspected abuse. She also confessed to ignoring signs of abuse and failing to seek medical attention, despite her daughter’s visible suffering.
Brewer, who was arrested on an outstanding DUI warrant, could not explain the extent of the injuries. Paulson, who expressed regret but still withheld crucial information from medical staff, now faces serious legal consequences.
Both Brewer and Paulson appeared in Spokane County Superior Court on Feb. 18 and are scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday. Authorities continue to investigate this heartbreaking case as the community seeks justice for the innocent child.
