How Could You? Hall of Shame-Michelle Hebert Young

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From New Caney, Texas, foster mother Michelle Hebert Young “was arrested and charged with injury to a child with severe bodily injury after police said a 6-month-old baby boy was found unresponsive with a skull fracture in her home.

She “had been fostering the baby since his birth, along with his 2-year-old brother.

The police department’s Chief Stephen Carlisle said Young called 911 to her home on Jan. 26.

The baby was taken to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital where doctors said he suffered from retinal hemorrhages in both eyes and bleeding on the brain, which are injuries consistent with abusive head trauma.

“They were able to provide a lot of evidence that’s consistent with shaken baby syndrome,” said Carlisle.

Court records show the baby underwent an MRI exam to determine the extent of the injuries.

“They’re severe enough that it could lead to permanent damage,” said Carlisle.

The police chief said Young gave several different stories blaming the baby’s 2-year-old brother for the injuries.

She initially told 911 dispatchers the older brother threw a softball at the baby. Then she told police he threw a phone at the baby. She later changed her story again to say the baby hit his head on a dresser.

“There were multiple stories. It started out with some accidental stuff. A couple different versions of accidentally, but then ultimately we have evidence to prove otherwise,” said Carlisle.

Doctors at Children’s Memorial Hermann who treated the baby documented the injuries and reported the abuse.

Carlisle said the baby was treated and released from the hospital and is back in Child Protective Services. He believes the baby will be placed in a different foster home.

The baby’s brother was also removed from Young’s home.

Police said her husband, who was out playing poker at the time, is not under investigation.

Young is in the Montgomery County Jail with a bond set at $100,000.

A local spokesperson for the Department of Family Protective Services said Thursday they could not respond to questions regarding the brothers’ care.”

‘There were multiple stories’: Police say foster mom was inconsistent with how baby was injured
[ABC13 2/24/22 by Shelley Childers]

A search on Montgomery County, Texas court case records shows that she has a status conference on 1/4/23.

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