Background: The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office in Rockwell City, Iowa (Google Maps). Inset: Emma Swanson (Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office).
An Iowa woman was accused by police of endangering her newborn son after she allegedly failed to provide him the medical care he needed.
Emma Swanson, 22, was arrested on May 29 following an investigation into the welfare of her newborn baby boy that took place in late 2024. According to court documents obtained by local news outlet The Messenger, Swanson’s son was diagnosed by doctors with failure to thrive when he was 2 months old. During an interview with Rockwell City police and a child protective services official, Swanson reportedly said that she was aware that her son was underweight, but allegedly did nothing about it.
But concerns for the baby went beyond just his low weight — authorities believed he was being “intentionally” abused, allegedly by his own mother.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
According to court documents, Swanson reportedly told police that her son had a seizure in July 2024. She allegedly did not seek medical attention for the baby, but recorded the episode on her cellphone. He reportedly had seizures again in October 2024.
In September 2024, doctors noticed injuries to the baby’s genital area, which they believe were allegedly cause by Swanson as a result of “unreasonable force,” possibly by pinching or hitting. Again, she allegedly delayed seeking medical care despite having access to it.
The documents stated that the alleged abuse against the baby escalated the following month, when the baby was brought in once again in October 2024 for serious injuries including a skull fracture, subdural hematomas, and several hemorrhages that caused damage to the baby’s eye as well as a stroke. Police said that Swanson still allegedly delayed seeking medical care for her baby, which made the effects of the injuries worse.
Swanson reportedly brought her baby to the hospital after the boy’s father urged her to get him medical attention after she left him in his care. When Swanson finally brought the boy to the hospital on Oct. 4, 2024, she reportedly claimed it was an accidental fall from a swing onto a carpeted floor.
Medical professionals who examined the baby reportedly determined that the injuries were caused by non-accidental trauma. According to the court documents, Swanson allegedly “intentionally used unreasonable force, including shaking or striking” that resulted in the baby’s serious injuries.
Police said that while Swanson was being questioned about the alleged abuse against her son, she acted unfazed” and “blamed medical staff for malpractice, and posted on social media, suggesting a lack of accountability.”
Both law enforcement and medical professionals came to the conclusion that Swanson was allegedly intentionally causing harm to her son. A warrant was issued for her arrest in late May and she was taken into custody by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department. Swanson was charged with one count of child endangerment and one count of causing serious injury, both felonies.
Swanson was being held on $35,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
