An Indiana woman was arrested earlier this month after her 3-year-old son was hospitalized from frostbite that was allegedly the result of neglect.
On January 19, Amber Griffith’s son was reportedly brought to the hospital with his foot turning black from frostbite. An investigation revealed the toddler was living with his mother, aunt, and grandmother in a home without heat, according to WTTK.
The Indianapolis home reportedly also had no running water due to frozen pipes.
Griffith, 28, allegedly admitted that she noticed her son’s foot was discolored weeks earlier but he only got medical attention after she noticed her own foot was hurting. The grandmother claimed she did not notice the frostbitten foot until January 19 when she put his shoes on, WTTK reported.
However, the grandmother allegedly also stated that she did notice that his legs appeared dry and inflamed days before he was hospitalized.
According to the news outlet, Griffith told cops she had given birth to multiple children without names or social security numbers. She allegedly also claimed she gave birth in November, to twins, but she beat one of them to death and buried them.
Police said a K-9 searched the home and found no evidence of human remains.
WTTK also reported that Griffith admitted to being a heroin and meth user. The grandmother allegedly told cops that she was the toddler’s caregiver due to Griffith’s paranoia and hallucinations.
Police said the toddler underwent surgery on January 19 to remove damaged tissue on his foot. He may lose his lower leg due to the frostbite, according to WTTK.
The grandmother claimed Griffith is bipolar and depressed but would not seek treatment. Reports indicated that Griffith lost two other children in 2015 because her home was filthy and lacked running water, power, or heat.
Griffith is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury. She remains jailed on a $40,000 bond.
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[Featured image: Amber Griffith/Marion County Jail]
