Shantaniqua Scott pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of aggravated assault after trying to smother her infant son in Waco, Texas. Scott is already serving a 25-year sentence for committing similar crimes in Fort Worth after being caught on camera committing this same heinous act.
Back in May, a jury took just minutes to convict Scott, 18, of the crime of injury to a child. That charge stemmed from an incident at the Cook Children’s Medical Center in which the following disturbing surveillance video from the hospital showed the teen mom smothering her child with a blanket and then with her bare hand.
This footage was taken because attentive doctors at the facility were afraid that she was purposefully harming her infant son. They first performed surgery after believing it was a severe case of reflux but when little Rhaidyn stopped breathing again just a day or two later they became suspicious and videotaped the room.
Please be advised that this footage is extremely difficult to watch:
Scott allegedly smothered her son in a similar way three times in Waco. She informed investigators that she just wanted her son “out of her life” because being a teen mom was too hard. Scott has already served two years behind bars. After pleading guilty yesterday, she could face up to ten additional years in prison on top of her 25-year sentence.
Rhaidyn is just over a year and a half old now and is currently living in foster care.
If you are a young mother and feel overwhelmed by your situation there are many resources that can help you and your baby. For instance you can contact Covenant House here. Their crisis hotline is 1-800-999-9999.
