A warrant was issued earlier this month for the arrest of a Poplar Bluff, Mo., mother who is accused of neglecting her children by not protecting them from the alleged abuse inflicted by her live-in boyfriend.
Shakima Shane Eure, 25, was charged March 9 with the Class B felony of neglect of a child and five Class D felonies of neglect of a child by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher.
After reviewing the probable-cause statement and complaint filed with the court, Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth issued a warrant for Eure's arrest and set her bond at $50,000 cash or surety.
The charges against Eure were filed more than three months after her 6-year-old daughter suffered what authorities earlier described as severe head trauma and internal injuries.
After being treated at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., authorities say the child, who is not expected to fully recover from her brain injuries, has been moved to a long-term rehabilitation facility.
Eure, who was "responsible for the care, custody and control" of her daughter, allegedly neglected the child on Jan. 2 by "knowingly causing (her) to be placed in a situation in which the child may suffer physical or mental injury as a result of this neglect," and the child did "suffer serious physical injury."
According to earlier reports, the child suffered bilateral fractures to her skull and subdural hematoma (brain bleed).
Among the girl's internal injuries reportedly were a right punctured lung, left and right rib fractures, possible right lung contusion and liver laceration.
External injuries reportedly included a right knee abrasion and "bruising about her body in various stages of healing."
The remaining counts Eure is facing accuse her of neglecting her five other children in 2017 by placing each "in a situation in which the child may suffer physical or mental injury as a result of this neglect."
The 6-year-old and her siblings allegedly suffered their injuries at the hands of Damien Jerel Gaylor, who is charged Class B felony of abuse or neglect of a child and five Class D felonies of abuse or neglect of a child.
The 27-year-old is accused of recklessly causing the 6-year-old child to "suffer serious physical injury to the head by pushing" her, causing her to hit her head on the kitchen stove on Jan. 2.
Authorities earlier reported Eure was working at the time this alleged abuse occurred, and an ambulance was called for her daughter after she reportedly arrived home that day.
Gaylor also is accused of knowingly causing the girl's siblings, ages 4, 6, 9, 1 and 2, "to suffer serious physical or mental injury as a result of abuse by punching or choking them" in 2017.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Poplar Bluff Police Department, which learned of the alleged abuse at about 3:10 p.m. Jan. 2.
Officers, according to police Detective Andy Cleaveland's probable-cause statement, were alerted by personnel at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center regarding a child, who was being treated for serious injuries and found to have "evidence of physical abuse."
The circumstances surrounding the child's injuries were described as being suspicious.
Cleaveland said officers went to the girl's home in the 800 block of Hart Street, where they contacted Gaylor and took him to the police station for questioning.
While at the residence, Cleaveland said, officials with the Missouri Children's Division and Butler County Juvenile Office arrived, and the other five children were "taken into custody due to concerns of abuse."
"Due to the severity of the situation, emergency plans were made and immediate forensic interviewing was scheduled," Cleaveland said.
Forensic interviews, he said, were conducted with the 9-year-old girl; 6-year-old girl, who is a twin of the victim; and the 4-year-old girl.
"As a result of interviews, it was discovered that there has been an ongoing pattern of abuse committed by Damien Gaylor against all the children," Cleaveland said. "This abuse has been in physical, verbal and mental forms."
The girls, Cleaveland said, described examples of Gaylor's alleged abuse.
"Damien Gaylor has used a big black belt to 'whoop' all six of the children regularly," leaving "significant bruising," Cleaveland said. "(He) has punched all six children in the head, face, chest, stomach, back, arms and legs."
Gaylor, the girls alleged, also has "kicked and 'stomped on' all six children, focusing on their chests, stomach and sides (rib cage)."
Cleaveland said the girls also alleged Gaylor has thrown all six on the floor, as well as forced them to the floor and stepped on their necks, which choked them.
"(He) wrapped his belt around the children's necks and choked them," Cleaveland said. "The children's faces turned purple and their tongues stuck out."
The girls, he said, further reported Gaylor put the belt around their (injured) 6-year-old sister's neck and "would tell her that she is the dog of the house now."
Cleaveland said the girls also alleged Gaylor forced their injured sister "onto her back, put her legs behind her head and would then sit on her."
In regards to their youngest sister, Cleaveland said, the girls alleged Gaylor struck the diaper-less infant with his belt.
Cleaveland said the two oldest girls "disclosed in their interviews that they had told their mother ... about this abuse.
"(The eldest girl) further disclosed that she has previously taken videos of this abuse and shown the abuse, in particular to (her injured sister), to Eure."
Eure, according to Cleaveland, failed to take action to protect her children from this abuse, "despite having clear knowledge of its continued nature.
"Furthermore, Eure previously had lost custody of her children due to her failure to provide a safe, caring, nurturing environment for them to live."
Cleaveland said Eure recently had regained custody of her children with the "condition placed on this custody being that Damien Gaylor was not to live in the residence with the children." It was a condition she allegedly ignored, which reportedly led to the 6-year-old being seriously injured.
Gaylor, he said, was not to be around the children "due to prior incidents of abuse in which he was the accused."
Gaylor, who is being held on a $500,000 cash bond, is to appear at 1 p.m. April 12 before Bloodworth for a preliminary hearing on his charges.