C & P News wire
A northwest Ohio mother has pleaded guilty to child endangerment after authorities accused her of injecting human waste into her hospitalized child’s intravenous line at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Tiffany M. Le Sueur, 35, of Maumee, entered the guilty plea Aug. 5 to a misdemeanor child-endangerment charge, according to reports on the case. She had originally faced a more serious felony allegation involving the alleged abuse of her child.
The disturbing case came to light in February, when hospital personnel alerted Columbus police after observing Le Sueur allegedly tampering with her child’s IV.
According to the criminal complaint, hospital staff first observed Le Sueur injecting a “foreign substance” into the child’s IV on Feb. 6. Two days later, staff again became concerned after allegedly seeing her inject a substance believed to be human waste into the IV.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed Le Sueur entering a hospital bathroom with a cup. Authorities said the footage showed her subsequently using a syringe before injecting the substance into the IV line connected to the child’s hand.
Hospital personnel intervened, notified police and treated the child.
Le Sueur was arrested Feb. 9 and initially charged with child endangerment involving allegations of cruel abuse and torture. A Franklin County grand jury later indicted her on a child-endangerment charge.
Following her guilty plea, Le Sueur avoided a prison sentence and was placed on probation. Court conditions reportedly prohibit her from having unsupervised contact with minors and require her to stay away from the child. She is also due back in court in April 2027.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the child’s medical condition or the circumstances that led to the child’s hospitalization.
The case has raised serious questions about the safety of vulnerable children receiving medical care and the importance of hospital staff recognizing and reporting suspected abuse.
The case is a stark reminder that medical professionals, caregivers and family members can play a critical role in protecting children who may be unable to protect themselves.
