A Calhoun County grandmother will be spending the next three years in prison for allegedly abusing her two-year-old grandson.
Renee Luddington was charged with aggravated child abuse last November, but was sentenced last Wednesday on child neglect charges.
As reported last holiday season, Renee’s daughter left her two-year-old son and young daughter in her care for an overnight visit at her Altha home. When she called to check on them, her mom said they were napping and to call later. However, when her mom failed to answer repeated phone calls, she called her aunt, Luddington’s sister, who lives on the adjacent property, and asked her to check on the children. The aunt walked over and found Luddington at the kitchen sink. She then noticed the two-year-old boy standing by the pantry without any clothes. When he turned around, she realized his eyes were swollen shut, he was severely bruised, and he had bleeding wounds. The aunt scooped up the child and took him to her house where she called 911. The child was airlifted to TMH where he was placed in pediatric ICU. A doctor compared bruising on the child’s forehead to someone “palming” a basketball and reported his skull was fractured due to blunt force trauma. Fortunately, he recovered.
Luddington allegedly told investigators the child fell off the porch, but she felt he didn’t need medical attention.
She was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by 24 months probation. She is to have no contact with children.
