Denton

Grandmother Arrested for Murder of Grandchild: Police

NBC 5 News

Denton Police Department investigators arrested 57-year-old Angela Downing for murder after her 3-year-old grandson died on Jan. 22.

On Jan. 18, officers were notified by Child Protective Services of a severely injured child being treated at a local hospital.

The grandmother reported to medical staff that the child had fallen down a flight of stairs accidentally, causing injury according to Denton police.

Following a thorough investigation, interviews with the child's doctors, and a confession by Downing, it was determined the child's injuries were not accidental, police said.

Police said during an interview with detectives, Downing, who was the child's legal guardian, admitted to forcefully throwing the child onto the bathroom floor and against a wall.

The child sustained a skull fracture, and suffered a brain bleed and brain swelling as a result. The child was declared legally dead after doctors declared him brain dead on Jan. 22.

The Denton Police Department advises if you suspect or know of a child who is being abused, to call the Denton Police Department at (940) 349-8181, or the Children's Advocacy Center for North Texas at (972) 317-2818.

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