Clarissa Stewart: Woman arrested for 'slamming' newborn on table and searching about shaken baby syndrome before seeking help

ABILENE, TEXAS: A two-month-old girl was scheduled for brain surgery on Thursday to relieve pressure from her brain after her own mother shook her violently to cause her brain hemorrhage.

Clarissa Stewart, the mother of the 2-month-old child, admitted to shaking her newborn, according to authorities. She used a doll to demonstrate how she shook her baby 2 to 3 times before slamming her into the changing table, KTXS reported.

How did the seizures start?

According to court documents, on November 14th at 2 pm, Stewart began to observe seizures in her two-month-old child.

The seizures persisted for over six hours without any medical attention.

Around 8 pm, Stewart's mother arrived at her home and witnessed the seizure, following which the infant was rushed to the hospital.

Initially, the child was taken to Hendrick Medical Plaza for twitching and abnormal behavior.

The initial assessment revealed a brain hemorrhage, four to five bruises on the torso, and a bruise on the right eye.

Subsequently, the child was transported to Cook Children's in Fort Worth for further treatment.

Clarissa Stewart shook her 2-month-old daughter

Fort Worth Child Protective Services contacted the Abilene Police Department on November 15, 2023, regarding the child's injuries.

Clarissa Stewart, the child's mother, initially suggested that the injuries may have been caused by her 18-month-old sister.

However, Cook Children’s Care Team later contradicted that claim, stating that the injuries were too severe to have been caused by a young child.

During the investigation, police obtained a warrant to search the parents' phones, leading them to discover Stewart's search history.

On November 14 at 5:35 pm, Stewart searched, “What are symptoms of shaken baby syndrome?

At 8:03 pm, the mother searched, “Why is my 2-month-old shaking?”

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Shaken baby syndrome is a serious brain injury resulting from forcefully shaking an infant or toddler.”

The website also states, “Shaken baby syndrome destroys a child's brain cells and prevents his or her brain from getting enough oxygen. This form of child abuse can cause permanent brain damage or death.”

Police said that they had also discovered disturbing text messages sent by Stewart to her husband on October 21, 2023.

“It’s getting harder and harder to love her,” the mother said. “Even leading up to having her I was questioning adoption. I don’t want her.”

Due to the lack of a suck-and-swallow impulse arising out of her brain injuries, the 2-month-old failed a swallow test and now requires a feeding tube for food intake.

Stewart was arrested and booked into the Taylor County Jail and charged with injury to a child and her bond has been set at $100,000.