Mother Accused Of Harming Baby To Get Attention To Stand Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A local woman who is accused of harming her child in order to get attention was in court Friday afternoon for a hearing.
Lauren Buzard is charged with aggravated assault and child endangerment. She will now stand trial on those charges.
Buzard is expected to be released from jail in the next few hours. Investigators say she intentionally tried to harm her baby boy.
According to the criminal complaint, Buzard and her son were monitored by surveillance cameras. Cameras showed Buzard tampering with the boy's feeding tube and IV line.
The criminal complaint reports, "she also appears to water down the boy's diaper and rub fecal matter on his sleeping pad."
"Her arrest was handled in the manner in which it was simply because the child had gotten better," said Sumner Parker, the defense attorney. "With CYF being involved, the child is at this point fine or relatively fine."
Buzard waived her right to a preliminary hearing today and agreed to go to trial. In the meantime, she has to go to extensive counseling and has limited access to her children.
Parker: "If she is going to have any contact with the particular child or either of her children, cause she's got two children, then that will be as directed by and authorized by Child, Youth and Family Services."
Reporter: "As it stands right now, she can't go pick up... she can't be with her child by herself?"
Parker: "No, she cannot, not unless CYF says it's okay. And it's my understanding is she will not be at the same residence where the children are presently being maintained."
Investigators believe Buzard may suffer from what is described as Munchausen by Proxy, also known as medical child abuse, a condition where usually a parent or caregiver causes symptoms in a child.
The motive is generally to seek attention or sympathy for themselves.
RELATED LINKS:
Woman Jailed, Accused Of Harming Son For Attention (8/19/13)
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