Grandma Sprays Cleaning Solution on Disabled Girl
A 74-year-old grandmother was arrested for abuse for allegedly spraying a mixture of cleaning solution on her 18-year-old disabled granddaughter.
Eloise Bowman, of Gainesville, Fla., was charged with misdemeanor battery and felony abuse of the disabled without great harm, reports The Gainesville Sun.
The elderly suspect experienced chest pain shortly after the incident. She was taken to a hospital for evaluation, and then taken straight to jail.
Bowman is reportedly the caretaker of the 18-year-old girl who suffers from developmental disabilities. The two allegedly got into an argument over the girl not having gone to school in the morning.
Police say Bowman forced the girl out of the home, and then sprayed the teen in the face with the cleaning solution mixture. The girl did not suffer any visible injuries, reports the Sun.
In her defense, the Florida grandma denies spraying her granddaughter with the cleaning solution -- though she does admit throwing water and ice on the girl to get her out of bed.
The state Department of Children and Families is investigating the case. Meantime, a neighbor has been appointed guardian of the disabled teen's welfare, reports the Sun.
To be convicted on abuse charges, prosecutors will have to show that the grandmother acted with the intention of causing physical or psychological injury to the disabled teen.
As Eloise Bowman faces five years in prison if convicted, she will want a good criminal defense attorney on her side.
In this case, Bowman may have a valid defense: that she was only trying to get the girl out of bed by spraying her with a liquid. The grandmother believes she sprayed water on the girl, while police say she sprayed the girl with cleaning solution.
Based on the disputed facts, prosecutors may have a hard time proving that Bowman both knew what she was spraying and that she intended the spraying to cause harm.
Related Resources:
- Cops: Granny sprayed disabled granddaughter with cleaner (Sun Sentinel)
- How Hard Can You Spank a Child? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Mom Took Photos of Newborn in Toilet, Trash (FindLaw's Legally Weird)