Home care provider arrested for battery and negligence

AUSTIN — Indiana State Police troopers arrested a Scott County daycare Friday evening after an investigation involving an injured 8-month-old child.

Lauren R. Salyers, 26, of Austin faces a Level 3 felony charge of battery and a second Level 3 felony charge of neglect of a dependent, according to a news release from Sgt. Cary Huls.

Huls, public information officer for the Sellersburg Post, said Detective Travis Baker began the investigation that led to Salyers' arrest on May 30 when he met with the child's mother and father at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville.

Baker learned the mother initially transported the child to Scott Memorial Hospital after discovering an injury to the back of the child's head when she went to pick him up from Salyers, who was caring for of child care, Huls reported.

During his investigation, Baker also learned that Salyers was providing private, unlicensed day care out of his home in Austin.

After arriving at the hospital, a medical helicopter transported the infant to Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville. Norton pediatricians treated the child for a skull fracture as well as a broken left arm, Huls said.

He said Baker continued his investigation, which included interviews with Lauren Salyer and others who had contact with the child in the preceding hours. At the end of his investigation, Baker transmitted the information to the Scott County Prosecutor for review and requested an arrest warrant for Salyers.

The Scott County Circuit Court issued an arrest warrant for Salyers on Friday. She was arrested by officers at her Austin residence Friday afternoon and transported to the Scott County Jail without incident.