Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old

Dan McDonald

Managing Editor

2/28/2013

Two Portola residents were arrested Thursday on charges of cruelty to a child.

Jessica Nicole White, 21, and Eric Charles McDowell, 20, were charged with causing traumatic brain injuries to White’s 2-year-old daughter on Oct. 3, 2012.

The injuries left the girl with swelling on her brain and required emergency brain surgery at UC Davis Medical Center. The girl spent several weeks under intensive care.

According to a joint press release from the Plumas County Sheriff and District Attorney, surgeons said the child’s injury was caused by blunt-force trauma. The surgeons said it was not a case of “shaken baby syndrome” or some type of medical condition.

According to Sheriff’s Investigations Sgt. Steve Peay, both White and McDowell were interviewed several times after the incident “and have offered no plausible explanation as to how the child received such an injury that would cause her condition.”

White and her husband, McDowell, who is the girl’s stepfather, were arrested at their Portola residence at 349 W. Loyalton Ave. #19. They were transferred to the Plumas County jail where they were booked and held on $50,000 bail.

The victim is in the custody of her biological father.

More details are expected to be reported in Wednesday’s editions of Feather Publishing newspapers.

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+11#1RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — cheryl2013-02-28 20:16

pay back in jail :) Have fun!

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-47#2RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — c eclair2013-03-01 05:19

Gee.....wonder who paid for the child's extensive med bills at UC Davis Med Center? Obama-care, maybe or was it you and me? Shame on the parents... hoping karma/payback will ensue.

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+39#3RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — crimini2013-03-01 09:50

Who cares who paid for it- don't be an idiot! All that matters is that child is being taken care of and those parents never get to harm her again.

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+18#4RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — meankitty2013-03-01 12:47

You have to have a license to catch a fish, fix cars, install plumbing or electrical stuff, but no one needs a license to be a parent, the most important job in the world. How messed up is this? I'm glad the little girl is no longer with these people, and I hope she recovers from her injuries.

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-13#5RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Portola resident2013-03-01 14:39

.....and she is pregnant again....

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0#6madgam — Millie Parker2013-03-01 14:49

This is not all true. I know that Jessica would not ever do anything to harm her daughter. She was by her side for 24 days taking full care of her daughter at UC Davis Hospital. People shouldn't pass judgement she has not been found guility.

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-4#7Finally! — Portola Resident2013-03-01 18:52

I am so thankful justice is coming for that beautiful girl. I love you baby and I'm glad your back with your daddy! And for the "woman" and "man" I thought I knew.... I hope you enjoy jail and I hope you rot in prison!

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-3#8Rot — Jake2013-03-01 19:29

Just so every knows, that little girl was beaten so badly that only half of her brain is functional, partially paralyzed and she is blind in one eye. These worthless meth-heads need to rot in hell for eternity. And now she is pregnant again. Lets hope to hell CPS takes it away the moment its born.

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+17#9amusing — linda sauer2013-03-01 21:00

I find it amusing that so many pass judgment with out knowing all the facts. BTW the parent that has custody now has had charges against him for abuse too. The child should be with someone other than either parent until this is sorted out in court.

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+24#10So Wrong — Donna Morris2013-03-01 22:47

I hope that justice will be served for the poor little girl.There is only one person who can judge the guilty and they will have to answer to him.

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-6#11RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Chris2013-03-02 03:50

If people don't no what they are talking about they should ceep there mouth shut and she is not blind out of one eye ever one need to ceep there mouth shut tell the no the truth

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+10#12RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Goyo2013-03-02 09:58

3:50 am huh? Wonder what is KEEPING you awake so late? I get you don't know know or there/their but seriously ceep. Go get some sleep.

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-13#13RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Plumasgirl2013-03-02 15:09

Jessica is a good mother and would of never hurt her daughter. No one has the right to pass judgment let the fact come out. The other injury to her have been when she was with her father,check the hospital records.

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+7#14Couple arrested for injuring 2 year old — Parent2013-03-04 12:17

Seems to me these dirt bags are useless as parents and a part of society. To beat a helpless child is beyond low no matter what age you are. The only reason they show any remorse for what they have done is because they where caught. As a parent I feel it should be a eye for an eye for the parents.

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+3#15About time — Portola Resident2013-03-04 14:27

About freaking time they finally caught that worthless b****. Hope she has a wonderful time in Jail/Prison.

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+3#16justice — watcher2013-03-04 15:17

millie, as someone who actually knows the "whole story," I can say that you are completely wrong. The only people in the home with the child were Jessica and her boyfriend. And Jessica was too tired to stay with her baby even one day, so she went to the hotel that was provided to her.

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-1#17watcher — linda2013-03-04 16:41

Funny you should make that statement about her. I personally took her to visit twice a day at her allotted visitation times. I wonder whats on your agenda? Nursing staff and sign in sheet can verify.

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+1#18about my baby girl — aunty pamela2013-03-04 17:42

[
thank u god and justice have been serverd now my brother and my baby girl can be happy and her getting strong everyday justice have been serverd oh yea love u mommys and my brother nana

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-3#19my bossbaby — aunty pamela2013-03-04 17:45

justice have been served thank u god and happy my brother got her for good now and she with her family and her daddy and she getting strong every day i love u my babby gril anuty pamela aka BOSSBITCH

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0#20my bossbaby — aunty pamela2013-03-04 17:49

OH AND LINDA MY BROTHER HAS NEVER BEEN CHARGER FOR NOTHING SO GET UR FACT RITE AND COUT HAS DID SOMETHING MY BROTHER GOT HER AND THAT WHERE SHE BELONG DONT TALK [censored] FROM PAMELA HER ANUTY AND NATHEN SISTER

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+1#21RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — linda2013-03-04 18:04

Pamela I have my facts right. Also the court papers in front of me. I know the history of custody and find no need to lower my morals by cussing. Paper trails show it all and are available at the court house. Aunty linda

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+4#22RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Me2013-03-04 19:49

You know what every one all the arguing and all the bull is really getting annoying you all keep fighting about stuff that dont matter and not thinking about what we do have and that's the health and safety of my daughter

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+2#23RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Me2013-03-04 19:59

And for those who think this and that about me that's your own opinion cause I know cause it happened to me personally ya you may have heard this and that but it's on you to BELIVE what you want and to argue over this and be negative that's on you and don't expect to be in mine or her life

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+6#24RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — Me2013-03-04 20:01

But this Linda lady I don't know who you are or any thing and you keep saying to not judge people but yet your judging me cause of your so called paper trail I'm not here to start any thing but to let every one know my Lil girl is heathy and safe and is making a great recovery

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+10#25RE: Couple arrested on charges of seriously injuring 2-year-old — PortolaMama2013-03-05 14:11

I know this is off subject but..I wonder how this little girl will prosper and grow? Hopefully she will have an excellent English teacher when she reaches school-age with emphasis on spelling and grammar.

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-2#26bossbaby — aunty pamela2013-03-05 18:43

portolamama just to let u know iam the aunty to her and she speak great english she talk to us all the time and she run around she being a 2yrs girl still and she doing real good from anuty pamela

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-3#27justice for baby girl! — uncle jerry2013-03-06 10:16

hey nana I been there from day one as are family is to love you lil brow n baby girl. I'm a 100 all day LOW LIFE! just like 9 says who do I catch now!!!

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-7#28Justice — dan2013-03-06 11:30

Whatever happened to innocent til proven guilty? alot of people seem to be already passing judgement. and to all you so called religeous people, what ever happened to thou shall not judge? just some food for thought.

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-10#29Justice — Debra2013-03-06 11:58

Everyone just needs to leave it alone. no right to judge. That lil girl is better off with her mommy than daddy. I do know this

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+5#30whats wrong with people — Seriouslywhats wrong with ppl2013-03-06 17:12

shame on anyone who defends them! ppl that defend abusers are only encouraging abuse. that little girl should be somewhere far away from any family member that defends that mother and step father. shame on all of you who speaks on their behalf!

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