US: Bail bond of mother who allegedly broke bones of 5-week-old infant increased

On 25 November Emergency services responded to a call from Spring Lake, North California, about a baby having seizures. But after a proper examination at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, doctors found that the five-week-old baby had multiple broken bones as well as internal bleeding in the brain.

The infant was later taken to Duke Medical Center where it was confirmed that she had rib fractures, ankle fractures and a femur fracture. On 15 December, Rinkuben Patel, the mother of the baby was arrested and is currently behind bars at the Cumberland County jail in North Carolina.

The judge hearing the case had increased the woman's bail bond from $10,000 to $500,000 after it was claimed that she could be a flight risk – a person thought likely to leave the country before a trial or bail hearing. The child is now in the custody of the Cumberland County Department of Social Services.

Prosecutors revealed that while Patel had come to the US on a student visa, but she never actually attended any school. Her country of origin has not been disclosed but going by her last name, she could be from India.

Patel attended her hearing with a translator at which she denied all assault charges. Meanwhile, Curtis Worthy, who rents his apartment to the Patels said: "I have sympathy for any infant and the children who can't defend themselves. You really feel sorry for them."

The infant's parents lived in an apartment along with another couple and their neighbours have expressed shock on finding out what was allegedly happening to the baby girl.

"They had a cookout once or twice a year, swim in the pool once or twice a year," Worthy told mentioned in a statement to the police. "They would invite family friends over. Just a normal family as far as I could tell," he added.