Ind. mom accused of neglecting dependent adult daughter whose bones were exposed from wounds

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (TCD) — A 50-year-old woman is facing charges for allegedly neglecting her nonverbal adult daughter, who was hospitalized with several wounds, including some that exposed bones and rods placed in her body during surgery.

According to the probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 20, Kricket Doughman took her daughter Breanna to the hospital in Fort Wayne “due to concerns of numerous wounds on Breanna’s body.”  An official from Adult Protective Services learned about Breanna’s injuries and contacted the New Haven Police Department. The officer reportedly saw photographs taken at the hospital of Breanna’s wounds and said there were “several wounds where the skin was opened and tissue, bone, and metal rods were exposed.”

Nurses could reportedly see her hip bone and discovered 12 wounds.

A nurse said the injuries were “severe and could potentially be fatal to Breanna due to infection.”

Breanna, who was diagnosed with Rett syndrome and cerebral palsy, reportedly also only weighed 67 pounds. The probable cause affidavit alleges the injuries “had not been properly cared for and that Breanna’s current state was due from the defendant not providing her with proper care and treatment for her injuries.”

Doughman allegedly told police and other medical staff the wounds were “a couple” of days old, but they had more likely been there for about a month or two.

In 2020, Doughman reportedly noticed her daughter’s toes were “missing,” and she believed “a rat or some sort of animal had come into the house and chewed off Breanna’s toes.”

The affidavit says there is “no clear conclusion as to what actually happened to Breanna’s toes.”

Doughman reportedly told the New Haven Police officer she felt “overwhelmed with the care for Breanna” and wanted help. She recently felt it “did come to a point where she couldn’t care for Breanna anymore.”

Doctors at the hospital reportedly “advised that Breanna could possibly not survive these injuries,” and the investigator said there “appears to be a degree of neglect on Breanna’s care.”

Doughman, however, “denied any neglect.”

She reportedly acknowledged that Breanna’s legs could be amputated due to the infection in her hips, but it “did not upset her, as this was the best thing for her at this time.”

The affidavit says Doughman “stated that she would never want to harm her own daughter.”

The New Haven Police investigators spoke with an official from Adult Protective Services, who said Doughman refused help that would have provided 33 hours of rehab services per week.

She was booked June 7 on charges of neglect of a dependent and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury. Court records show Doughman was released on bond.