FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A Fort Campbell couple has been charged with aggravated child neglect after their baby was admitted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Andrew J. Garasich, 27, and Lyndsey T. Bustamante, 27, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday and arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Documents filed with the court allege that on Jan. 4, Bustamante took her baby to Houston County Community Hospital and claimed that several days earlier, the baby was burned while being given a bath by Garasich.
Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the baby was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Vanderbilt, where it was discovered the baby also had a skull fracture. While in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the baby underwent numerous medical procedures and surgeries and was treated for organ failure and other life-threatening conditions.
“It is anticipated that the baby will require additional medical treatment and services for years to come,” the news release said.
If convicted, both defendants face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Army-Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Morrison and Robert E. McGuire are prosecuting the case.