Gadsden parents arrested for abuse of 2-month old, deputies say baby had 12 fractured ribs

GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) - A Gadsden man and woman were arrested for Aggravated Child Abuse of a two-month-old baby.

Kylar Matthew Markley, 22, and McKayla Leigh Allen, 19, both of Gadsden, were arrested September 3, 2020. They are charged with Aggravated Child Abuse. According to the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office Aggravated Child Abuse is defined as happening on more than one occasion. A responsible person, who shall torture, willfully abuse, cruelly beat, or otherwise willfully maltreat any child under the age of 18.

Sheriff Jonathon Horton said in July of 2020 it was reported to the Department of Human Resources that a 2-month old child had quit breathing at her home and she was rushed to the hospital.

Once at the hospital the baby was sent to Children’s Hospital of Alabama and was seen by a specialist. At the time of the incident the child was in the presence of her parents Markley and Allen. Children’s Hospital of Alabama determined that the child had 12 fractured ribs and a healing broken wrist all of which occurred on at least three different occasions.

Investigators said Markley and Allen could not explain what happened.

The baby has been placed in a safety plan and is currently doing better.

Kylar Markley and McKayla Allen both have a bond of $50,000 each for Aggravated Child Abuse. Conditions of that bond are no contact with the victim and no unsupervised contact with any child under 18 years old. Both will be supervised by Etowah County Community Corrections once released.

Etowah County Sheriff’s Office thanked Children’s Hospital of Alabama, the Department of Human Resources, and the Criminal Apprehension Team.

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