A Peilion teen has been arrested in connection with the death of a 2-year-old child.
/ LCSD
LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC (WACH) - A Pelion teen has been arrested in connection with the death of a 2-year-old child.
According to officials with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, Desiree Nicole Almgren, 17, is suspected of causing acute head trauma to Paul Edward Thomas, 2, failing to seek medical attention for the child, and abandoning the child. She will be tried as an adult.
Almgren was arrested Sunday with a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child. After Thomas' autopsy Tuesday, the charge was changed to homicide by child abuse or neglect, according to deputies.
The 2-year-old boy was left in the care of Almgren, who is in a relationship with the child's father, around 11:45 a.m. Sunday. When the child's father returned to the home from work around 5:45 p.m., Almgren was not in the home.
Thomas was discovered unresponsive in his bed. The father attempted to wake the 2-year-old before calling 911, according to Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts.
Lexington County Coroner Harry O. Harman says the child was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m. Sunday due to non-accidental head trauma that occured around 3:30 p.m.
It was released at Almgren's bond hearing Wednesday afternoon that she is not the mother of the deceased toddler.
Almgren is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.
The investigation is ongoing.
Metts asks anyone with any additional information about this incident to call the sheriff's department at 803-785-8230.
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