Prosecutors on Wednesday charged the mother of a 2-year-old -- who ended up with bleeding on his brain because of alleged abuse at her boyfriend's hands -- for putting him in a position that endangered his life.
After spending a night in jail, Katrina Darasouk headed into the courtroom with shackles at her ankles.
A judge set her percentage bond at $50,000 after she said quietly she understood the child abuse charge she faced and that it carried up to 20 years in prison if she's convicted.
Police say Darasouk woke up Sept. 20 to her boyfriend, Joshua Ironshell, yelling at her son and found them in the bathroom.
Darrek Andrew was unresponsive and appeared to be having a seizure.
But, police allege, Darasouk agreed with Ironshell not to take him to the hospital because he feared bruises on the boy would lead to a child abuse investigation.
Two days later, her son had another seizure while in Ironshell's care.
This time, Darasouk drove Darrek to the hospital. She told police later she thought her son was going to die.
He was unresponsive, his breathing labored, when she got him to the emergency room at BryanLGH Medical Center West.
He was taken by helicopter to Children's Hospital in Omaha, where he was diagnosed with bleeding on the brain and in the blood vessels at the back of the eye, spinal fractures and multiple bruises. He had old scarring on his buttocks.
Police say doctors treated Darrek, and he since has been released from the hospital. He was placed in foster care while police and Health and Human Services investigate, and he continues to suffer from lingering vision and balance issues.
According to court documents, Darasouk told police Ironshell was the boy's primary care provider, and that she had no idea how he got the injuries.
Police now believe she'd seen Ironshell spanking her son at least once before and told him to stop.
Sometime in the week of Sept. 12-16, police believe, Ironshell, spanked him hard enough they both fell in the shower.
Police allege Ironshell had spanked the boy while holding him by one arm, then hit him on the buttocks, hip and lower back causing swelling. He walked stiff-legged after the fall, they say.
On Sept. 20, the boy had a seizure and briefly stopped breathing, according to the affidavit filed in Lancaster County Court.
A second seizure happened on Sept. 22, the court document said. In it, police allege Ironshell and Darasouk did not take him to the hospital right away because Ironshell didn't want to be investigated for child abuse.
The charge against Darasouk alleges she went along with it, despite it putting her son in a position that endangered his life.
At about 10 a.m. Tuesday, police lodged her.
A week ago, they arrested Ironshell, later charged with felony child abuse and first-degree assault.
