Police: Indiana mother arrested after girl, 4, nearly died from lice infestation

An Indiana woman is accused of child neglect after her 4-year-old daughter was found to be so infested with lice that the girl nearly died, authorities said.

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Shayanne Singh, 24, of Scottsburg, was charged with neglect of a dependent, neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury and neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, according to Scott County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

According to court documents, the 4-year-old child was brought to an area hospital on April 20 with severe lice infestation, WDRB reported. According to police, the girl was unable to walk, needed four blood transfusions and had been declared a “near fatality” by hospital officials, the television station reported.

A second child, a 6-year-old, was also infested with lice and was being tested to see if she had suffered any physical damage, WDRB reported.

A police officer said in court documents that he was shown images of the children that, “showed an infestation of lice like nothing I have seen before.”

According to court documents, the 6-year-old was sent home from school in early March after the nurse determined the child had lice, WDRB reported. The child did not return to school and had 31 unexcused absences.

Singh’s mother confronted her daughter about her two grandchildren. According to court documents, Singh allegedly said “she didn’t notice,” and “that she was just in a fog.”

Singh is currently being held in the Scott County Detention Center, according to online booking records.

Cox Media Group