Nebraska Woman Charged After 12-Year-Old in Her Care, Who Weighed 47 lbs., Is Hospitalized in Critical Condition By Christina Coulter

A Nebraska woman has been charged after a 12-year-old boy in her care was found weighing just 47 lbs. and hospitalized in critical condition.

Angela Lowe, 46, was arrested after bringing the boy to a local emergency room on Jan. 12, per reporting from KOLN, KPTV and KLKN-TV.

Per the outlets, which cite police, a nurse reported suspected child neglect after noticing the boy was significantly malnourished and too weak to lift himself or speak. The child weighed just 47 lbs. and had a core body temperature of about 80 degrees, with investigators noting that the average 12-year-old boy weighs roughly 90 pounds.

The boy was airlifted to a children’s hospital in Omaha and diagnosed with septic shock and pneumonia, the outlets reported, citing police. Investigators also believed he had been neglected, starved and tortured for several months based on additional symptoms and injuries.

Doctors initially did not expect the boy to survive more than a few days, but as of Thursday he remained in critical but stable condition in the pediatric intensive care unit, per the outlets.

Lowe is charged with felony child abuse, first-degree assault and false imprisonment, the outlets reported.

Per the outlets, the child was placed into state custody on Jan. 19, and Lowe is no longer his legal guardian and is prohibited from contacting him.

Lowe was arrested at her home Thursday and booked into the Lancaster County Jail, the outlets said. Her bond was set at 10 percent of $750,000, and court records state she is not allowed to have contact with anyone younger than 19, according to KOLN.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.