Mom gets 4 years after admitting she punched baby, threw him into a crib

YOUNGSTOWN

Prosecutors said a woman sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for abusing her son began abusing him almost from the time he came home from the hospital after his birth.

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer McLaughlin told Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that a son of Alicia Underwood, 22, of Campbell, had fractured ribs that were healing and fractures to his thigh and shins and his mother never did anything to get him treatment until he was examined by a doctor in February, when he was 3 months old.

“This abuse, we believe, started when the baby came home from the hospital,” McLaughlin said. “That’s a lot of abuse for three months.”

Underwood, who was free on bond until her sentencing and is seven months pregnant with twins, apologized in a barely audible voice.

“I committed the crime and I’m sorry,” said Underwood, who has three other children. “I ask for forgiveness.”

McLaughlin said Underwood admitted to investigators from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office that she punched the baby in the face and threw him into a crib. Underwood told the investigators she was under stress and suffering postpartum depression, McLaughlin said. She recommended a four-year sentence.

Read more about the case in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.