Mom Allegedly Dunks 6-Month-Old Baby Strapped in Car Seat Underwater
(Image: Warren County Jail)
An Ohio mother, Sharon Rose O’Hara, 39, has been arrested and indicted on multiple charges after local prosecutors allege she dunked her infant child’s head underwater at Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville, Ohio, in July. O’Hara faces three counts of child endangerment and one count of felonious assault.
According to Warren County prosecutors, witnesses at the park observed O’Hara’s disturbing actions. They claim she slammed her 3-month-old child’s car seat onto the ground before allegedly dunking the car seat, with the child still strapped in, under the water.
As the situation escalated, O’Hara is said to have removed the child from the carrier and repeatedly dunked the infant’s head underwater. The actions were witnessed by horrified bystanders, some of whom rushed to help the infant, while others called the authorities, told WXIX.
Prosecutors further revealed that O’Hara’s second child, a 9-year-old, reported to police that both children had not been properly cared for in the days leading up to the incident. Despite the severity of the alleged actions, it remains unclear why O’Hara was not arrested at the scene on the day of the incident.
It also took nearly six months for charges to be brought against her. Following her arrest, it was reported that the children were placed in the custody of a relative, though it is unknown whether this occurred immediately after the July incident or after O’Hara’s arrest this week.
O’Hara is currently being held in the Warren County Jail and is awaiting her initial court date, scheduled for Dec. 20. Jail records do not indicate a bond or a defense attorney at this time. This case follows another recent tragedy in Ohio involving a child. Just a week prior, an 8-year-old boy, D’Angelo Alcorn, died after accidentally shooting himself in Akron, told the Akron Beacon-Journal.
The boy, described as “full of life” and always smiling, gained access to an unsecured handgun at his home, leading to the tragic accident. His mother, Shawnee Alcorn, has since urged the community to remember her son for his joyful nature, rather than the tragic circumstances surrounding his death.
