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Woman In Jail After Allegedly Injuring Special Needs Toddler

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) — Police arrested 38-year-old Amber Nicole Maxwell for felony child abuse after allegedly hurting her boyfriend's 18-month-old child.

AMBER NICOLE MAXWELL SLT PD
Amber Nicole Maxwell's booking photo. (credit: South Lake Tahoe Police Department)

Officers said they were called to Barton Memorial Hospital where the toddler, who has special needs, was suffering from a broken femur and bruising to the face and head in April. The child was transported to a hospital in Reno for more intensive care and surgery.

The SLT police department launched a child abuse investigation and found the child had recently been taken into protective custody by El Dorado
County Child Protective Services and had been placed with its biological father.

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Detectives determined the child's father's girlfriend, Maxwell, was responsible for the child's injuries.

Maxwell was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony willful cruelty to a child causing great bodily injury.

She is in custody at the El Dorado County Jail with $150,000 bail.

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