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Woman Charged With Attempting To Kill 3-Month-Old Daughter

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) -- A 21-year-old woman is behind bars, accused of attempting to kill her 3-month-old child.

Kayla Hummel is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and attempted homicide.

According to a criminal complaint from Ambridge Police, Beaver CYF was called to Children's Hospital in September on a report of a 3-month-old with fractured ribs and skull, as well as bleeding in the brain and bodily bruising.

KDKA's Amy Wadas spoke to the grandmother of the baby, Bonnie Underwood. She says the little girl is out of the hospital and doing well. As for her daughter, Underwood says she does not condone what Hummel is accused of doing. She adds that her daughter needs help.

"I guess you can say she's a miracle baby for surviving the injuries that she occurred," Underwood said. "I do not condone what she did, but she is my daughter. I do love her and I do love my granddaughter."

The child's parents reportedly gave police several statements.

In one, the parents said that a month ago the baby slipped out of the mother's hands and struck her left rib and head area on the tub. The mother said she then grabbed the child forcibly around the ribs in an attempt to prevent further injury.

"Nobody in the family knew. A lot of people are saying we should have done something and stopped it. We didn't know," Underwood said.

In another statement, the mother said she remembered a pet cat knocking items off of a table, causing an ash tray to strike the baby on the head.

Upon hearing this statement, the father said he remembered holding the baby when Kayla dropped the ash tray on her head. When Kayla heard his statement, she changed her own to say it was in fact her who dropped the ash tray on the baby's head.

Finally, Hummel reportedly told a doctor at Children's Hospital that the baby had fallen while sleeping on her chest, striking the cement floor.

Underwood says the baby has been out of the hospital for about a week and is staying with her paternal grandparents.

She says Hummel also has a 3-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and is only allowed to see the child when she's with Underwood.

"She needs help, my daughter. She's not a bad person. She needs a lot of mental help. She doesn't need to belong in jail," Underwood said.

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