Another local child abuse situation

This is completely unacceptable. This woman was a daycare owner, volunteer fireman and a search and rescue volunteer.


Original story:

A Milton woman was arrested Sunday after a 15-month-old who had been in her care was admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital with a traumatic injury.

According to a news release from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's office, on Oct. 24, detectives with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit were called to the hospital in reference to the injured child. During an investigation, officials determined the injuries to the child occurred while under the care of Thelma Denise Lowery, 55, who runs a daycare business from her home on Ward Basin Road in Milton.

Lowery was taken into custody Sunday and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on one count of aggravated child abuse.







Update, 2:02 p.m.:

Lowery 's next court date is at 9 a.m. Nov. 13.

Update, 2 p.m.:

According to her attorney, Lowery was volunteer firefighter and has also worked search and rescue. Lowery has been operating a daycare out of her Ward Basin Road home for years.

Lowery appears to have no serious criminal history.

Update, 1:57 p.m.:

Representative from State Attorney's Office said medical personnel called incident "worst case of shaken baby syndrome they've ever seen."

Update, 1:55 p.m.:

Lowery has been charged with aggravated child abuse. During Lowery's first court appearance today, State indicated the baby may not survive.

Update, 1:53 p.m.:

The child victim reportedly suffered critical injuries while in Lowery's home daycare in Milton.

Update, 1:49 p.m.:

Thelma Denise Lowery, child care worker accused of viciously shaking 15-month-old, to be held without bond.

I know this woman. She is a good woman who during Ivan while her home, husband and child were under five feet of water, yet she did not leave her job was rescuing other people. I do not know the details of this case, but this woman stayed on duty and tried to help others. I hope more details come out, but this lady is a hero in my books and I could never see her neglecting or hurting a child.

I am devastated. Her family has struggled after Ivan, and when I saw her picture in the PNJ I hardly recognized her. I have been in their home and they have struggled with all the bad luck dealt to them but these are really great people and I cannot possibly understand her hurting a child. I have not spoke with her or her husband since the cancer spread to the liver. I am sick. I hope this child will be ok and I pray that a fair resolution will happen, but I watched the video and the State said they doubt the child will survive. This is a tragedy.

I can tell you while her husband and child were positioned on top of the big screen tv as five feet of water rushed into their home and collapsed the I-10 bridge with the surge, this woman was helping her community and others in need in her position on a volunteer fire department. I pray for the parents of the child, and I pray for this family. She has ran her day care business for years with people lining up to have her give care to their children.....I am just lost right now. None of this makes a lick of sense. Sometimes life can become hell on earth. I simply do not understand the denial of bond unless there has been some kind of horrible admission, but she poses no flight risk. What a tragedy.

2seaoat wrote:I can tell you while her husband and child were positioned on top of the big screen tv as five feet of water rushed into their home and collapsed the I-10 bridge with the surge, this woman was helping her community and others in need in her position on a volunteer fire department.  I pray for the parents of the child, and I pray for this family.  She has ran her day care business for years with people lining up to have her give care to their children.....I am just lost right now.   None of this makes a lick of sense.   Sometimes life can become hell on earth.   I simply do not understand the denial of bond unless there has been some kind of horrible admission, but she poses no flight risk.  What a tragedy.

This woman shook a 15 month old....the child may not survive. She is not a hero.

During the Ivan aftermath their were many "heros" people helping people. Many heros.....heros that did not shake a baby in their charge.

I am telling you right now there is no way this woman shook a baby and caused harm to that baby.  No way.   I want to see what the state has for evidence.  There was nothing in the bond call which is usually required, which means there probably was no admission.  Also, my wife knows this woman and I just called her and she is speechless.  The first thing she said was no way, and what condition was that child when brought to day care.  As a teacher, she knows that others can have access to a child and she has seen shaken baby syndrome manifest a week after an injury, and I certainly do not want to even suggest parental involvement because their tragedy is compounded by that type of speculation, but this woman would NEVER shake a baby.....never.  Something happen to this child and I want to see what the police have, but the preliminary hearing is two weeks off....this is simply a tragedy.  I guarantee you that other Milton folks are going to be speaking up for her immediately.

During an investigation, officials determined the injuries to the child occurred while under the care of Thelma Denise Lowery, 55, who runs a daycare business from her home on Ward Basin Road in Milton.

Lowery was taken into custody Sunday and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on one count of aggravated child abuse


The worst case of shaken baby syndrome. The child victim reportedly suffered critical injuries while in Lowery's home daycare in Milton.

Again, I need to see evidence. If I knew your real name and I saw you accused of shaking a baby, even though we have not met, I could never imagine you doing the same. I know this woman. I have seen the cars line up with other parents in the Milton community trusting this woman. I have never seen her show one iota of anger or aggression. This makes no sense.

The arrest report will be made public tomorrow.

Maybe somebody else in her house did it and she got blamed?

what condition was that child when brought to day care.

It will depend on the timeline....how long the child was in her care.

When healthcare personnel @ SHH say it is the worst case of shaken baby syndrome and the child is critical.......it did not manifest over a week. Symptoms of severe trauma would be evident immediately.

Update WEAR NEWS:


They believe at the time of the injury occurred to the child that she was the only person in position to take care of the child, therefore the only person who can cause the injury.
The injuries are consistent with what's called shaken baby syndrome.

I know this is a shock for people who don't live far , yesterday on face book one of my friends was also shocked said she knew the lady , My friend works at the fire department and knows her very well and she said she is so shocked right now , she doesn't believe it at all now im wondering if she did it or what ? was the child brought later to hospital or was the child taken from day care to the hospital or did an ambulance or anything have to go to the daycare mmm My friend does not believe it though . Me I don't know what to think right now .

The child was taken from the dsy care center. The injuries would have been instantaneous....not occuring over a period of time.

I have looked all over for information today. None as promised. The folks in Milton know she is not capable of the allegations she shook this baby.

I have little faith in local medical diagnosis, and will leave it at that.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/17/the-shaky-science-of-shaken-baby-syndrome/

2seaoat wrote:I have looked all over for information today.  None as promised.  The folks in Milton know she is not capable of the allegations she shook this baby.

I have little faith in local medical diagnosis, and will leave it at that.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/17/the-shaky-science-of-shaken-baby-syndrome/

To obtain the arrest report you have to contact the records department at SO.

I imagine the folks in Milton would be her friends.....as for the dx of shaken baby syndrome a definitive diagnosis can be made by the presence of a series of traumatic ( not spontaneous)  severe-life threatening injuries incurred.

Shaken baby syndrome can be misdiagnosed.  My trust would go with the Regional specialist at SHH Children's Hospital.

I know you will get angry with me......but I would not take my dog to MOST of the medical facilities within 30 miles of Pensacola. With exception of the Andrew Institute which is world renowned.......I do not share your high opinion of medical facilities in the panhandle, or their medical opinions. I will not share my reasons for those very strong opinions. So when somebody is giving a medical opinion to the SA as to the cause of a medical condition......I have zero faith in that opinion until it is peer reviewed.

2seaoat wrote:I know you will get angry with me......but I would not take my dog to MOST of the medical facilities within 30 miles of Pensacola.   With exception of the Andrew Institute which is world renowned.......I do not share your high opinion of medical facilities in the panhandle, or their medical opinions.   I will not share my reasons for those very strong opinions.  So when somebody is giving a medical opinion to the SA as to the cause of a medical condition......I have zero faith in that opinion until it is peer reviewed.

A lot of the doctors that practice at Andrews were already practicing at other facilities in the area. So these "world renowned" practitioners are the same ones you would not have taken your dog to see.

A lot of the doctors that practice at Andrews were already practicing at other facilities in the area. So these "world renowned" practitioners are the same ones you would not have taken your dog to see.

An orthopedic mistake rarely results in a misdiagnosis which kills. If I broke a bone, I would feel comfortable that my bone or my dog's bone would be set within the standard of care. However, having golfed with a hospital administrator at one of the local hospitals for years, my opinion is not without basis. I did not go to Moffitt Cancer center in Tampa because I wanted to, it would have been suicide otherwise.

QueenOfHearts wrote:

2seaoat wrote:I know you will get angry with me......but I would not take my dog to MOST of the medical facilities within 30 miles of Pensacola.   With exception of the Andrew Institute which is world renowned.......I do not share your high opinion of medical facilities in the panhandle, or their medical opinions.   I will not share my reasons for those very strong opinions.  So when somebody is giving a medical opinion to the SA as to the cause of a medical condition......I have zero faith in that opinion until it is peer reviewed.

A lot of the doctors that practice at Andrews were already practicing at other facilities in the area.  So these "world renowned" practitioners are the same ones you would not have taken your dog to see.

You are right... the same doctors working under the "name" of Jimmy Andrews. I worked with, was a patient, and friend of several of the doctors and therapists that are now at Andrews.

As far as peer review Seaoat......SHH has a team of doctors and social workers and set protocols that desl with abuse and suspected abuse. SH Children Hospital and Neonatal is a regional referral center.

2seaoat wrote:A lot of the doctors that practice at Andrews were already practicing at other facilities in the area. So these "world renowned" practitioners are the same ones you would not have taken your dog to see.

An orthopedic mistake rarely results in a misdiagnosis which kills.   If I broke a bone, I would feel comfortable that my bone or my dog's bone would be set within the standard of care.  However, having golfed with a hospital administrator at one of the local hospitals for years, my opinion is not without basis.  I did not go to Moffitt Cancer center in Tampa because I wanted to, it would have been suicide otherwise.

LOL.....you must not be aware of the metal on metal hip recall.

As far as peer review Seaoat......SHH has a team of doctors and social workers and set protocols that desl with abuse and suspected abuse. SH Children Hospital and Neonatal is a regional referral center.

I have my doubts based on too many missed calls which I personally know. If I did not know this woman, I probably would defer to some medical diagnosis, but knowing the woman and how f'd up this syndrome has become by folks who jump the gun.......I think we may be seeing two tragedies.......the lynching of an innocent woman in the media based upon what......innuendo that this is SBS by so called experts.....my opinion stands....I will keep my dog away from Pensacola medical facilities. It is funny how the malpractice lawyers in Pensacola are thriving....coincidence?

We'll see......I think you are incorrect......people snap.

Ever since that 19 yr. old girl w/ the 4 yr.old brain damaged child several years ago was arrested I've had less faith in the expertise here in Pensacola. That girl was drug through the mud and even Nancy Grace was dogging her on TV only to find out that child was typical of the syndrome he had. The Dr. and all those experts were wrong and if it hadn't gone national and the experts on that syndrome hadn't helped her that girl would still be sitting in prison for years to come.

Vikingwoman wrote:Ever since that 19 yr. old girl w/ the 4 yr.old brain damaged child several years ago was arrested I've had less faith in the expertise here in Pensacola. That girl was drug through the mud and even Nancy Grace was dogging her on TV only to find out that child was typical of the syndrome he had. The Dr. and all those experts were wrong and if it hadn't gone national and the experts on that syndrome hadn't helped her that girl would still be sitting in prison for years to come.

That girl needed help.....she failed to follow up with medical treatment and obtain the help needed to care for her terminally ill child. He was terminal but her response was to do nothing but leave him in a crib. Nancy Grace screwed up.