Toddler's Tongue Split With Scissors, Couple Charged As Family 'Appalled, Disgusted'

An Indiana couple were arrested and charged after police said a toddler’s tongue was split down the middle, possibly with scissors in Vigo County, Indiana. The investigation in the case began last week when an officer from the Terre Haute Police Department was called to Union Hospital.

The 14-month-old was hospitalized after suffering from a split tongue, a swollen scrotum and severe bruises all over his body. Medical officials said the tongue was cut by scissors or a similar tool, local media WTHI-TV reported. Court documents filed in relation to the case revealed that the child’s mother, Holly Cota, told police that the boy had fallen out of his crib multiple times.

Explaining the injuries, Cota said the baby bit his own tongue, which caused it to split, adding that her son “must have straddled the toy box when he fell, causing damage to his scrotum.” However, police later said they believed Cota had misled them.

Doctors told investigators it was unlikely that damage to the child’s tongue was caused by his teeth.

“[The doctor] said that the cut appeared clean and was not torn which indicated that some type of tool, possibly scissors, were used,” the arrest affidavit stated. “[The doctor] also said a piece at the tip of the tongue was missing,” adding that the injuries were more akin to “inflicted trauma.”

The doctor also said that a fall or even two falls wasn’t consistent with the boy’s injuries, according to the affidavit.

When police questioned Cota, she said the boy was in the care of her boyfriend, Scott Edwards, when he was injured.

Edwards was later arrested and charged with aggravated battery, and neglect of a dependent. Cota was also arrested on obstruction of justice charges.

"I am appalled. I am disgusted. My heart hurts, when that's all you can think about is that poor baby going through that, with nobody for him to be his voice and say stop...you're hurting me. It just breaks my heart," a family friend of the suspects, Chelsie Loose, told WTHI-TV.

“I mean really, [the child] is lucky to be alive I think,” Loose added, the publication reported yesterday. “From the description I heard of his injuries at his age...lucky.”