Mom Guilty of Murder After ‘Throwing’ 2-Month-Old Son into Crib, Causing Skull and Rib Fractures
A 26-year-old Minnesota mother has been found guilty of murdering her infant son in 2017.
On Tuesday, Shy Ann Hentges was convicted of second-degree murder for the April 2017 death of her 2-month-old son Eli Arispe Hentges, according to Isanti County jail records.
Eli died on April 5, 2017, after police responded to reports of an unresponsive child, the Isanti-Chicago County Star reports. A medical examiner determined the infant had rib fractures and at least two fractures to his skull.
Hentges initially told investigators Eli hit his head against a door frame as she carried him from the bathroom. She later changed her story and said she “maybe put [Eli] down too forcefully” into his crib, the County Star reports.
Over the course of a nine-month investigation, authorities uncovered text messages sent by Hentges, who was raising Eli alone, complaining about her lack of sleep and having second thoughts about “keeping this kid,” according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“While this was a very difficult case for everyone involved, we want to thank everyone that helped bring justice for this infant. We especially want to thank Investigator Kevin Carlson for being so diligent and making sure every detail was investigated, County Attorney Jeff Edblad for pursuing justice and Judge Klossner for the verdict,” the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement shared on Facebook.
“There were many more people involved in this, but these three were the ones who had to make sure that Ms. Hentges was held accountable for her actions,” the statement continued. “It takes a village to raise a child. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach to Isanti County Family Services as well as many other community resources.”
Hentges remains behind bars on $250,000 bail.
She will be sentenced in February.
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 http://www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
