Visalia woman charged with felony child endangerment after 10-month-old falls out of moving car

Visalia police arrested a woman Thursday who they say failed to put her 10-month-old son in a car seat, which led to the child falling out of the vehicle when a passenger door opened during a turn.

Sgt. Damon Maurice said that officers arrived at the corner of Whitendale Street and West Avenue at 9:17 a.m. and found 26-year-old Ashley Cowell and the baby leaving the accident scene. Police determined the infant had injuries to the top of his head and face, and they treated him until an ambulance arrived.

The boy was taken to Kaweah Delta Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Maurice said officers learned the boy had fallen out of the vehicle as Cowell was making a turn near Whitendale and West.

Cowell originally told police that her fiancé had secured the child in the backseat prior to her leaving her home, Maurice said. However, detectives determined after interviewing witnesses and pressing Cowell that she knowingly placed her son in the back seat without a car seat or proper safety device.

Cowell was arrested on a felony child endangerment charge. Child Welfare Services took custody of the injured boy and his two siblings, who were not involved in the accident.

This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Visalia woman charged with felony child endangerment after 10-month-old falls out of moving car."