ATHENS, Texas — Documents allege an Athens woman contributed to the death of her 10-year-old nonverbal stepson, who has autism, last December by neglecting his needs and giving abnormal care while at home.
Shonna Pickle, 38, remains in the Henderson County Jail after her May 31 arrest for an injury to a child causing serious bodily injury charge. Her bond is set at $500,000, according to jail records.
According to an arrest affidavit, the child was pronounced dead at a local emergency room on Dec. 27, 2022, and physicians reported the 10-year-old's death as suspicious. An ER doctor believed his bruising could be physical abuse or strangulation, and an autopsy was ordered.
The doctor also told officials that when paramedics arrived at the child's home, the boy's stepmother, Shonna Pickle, was not doing CPR, according to the document.
According to the affidavit, an autopsy later showed the boy's lungs were filled with blood and medical neglect could not be definitively ruled out. A doctor at a clinic certified in evaluating child abuse said the boy appeared to have an infection and his needs were neglected. Both factors contributed to his death.
Investigators learned the boy fell over and vomited while watching TV, and Pickle said she tried CPR and then called 911. A deputy said she did not appear to be "very upset" and on the 911 call recording, she didn't appear to be physically stressed as if she were giving CPR, the affidavit said.
In a Dec. 29 interview, the child's father said his children have fetal alcohol syndrome and Pickle is responsible for their care most of the time because he's out of town. He said his son was fine before leaving for work on Dec. 20. He said Pickle would sometimes yell loudly at the kids and spank them with a hairbrush and wooden spoon on the butt, the affidavit explained.
The boy's father said he had cameras in the home, and when he notices something he calls her. In the early morning of Dec. 26, he saw his son was on the floor and asked Pickle to check on the boy.
In the videos, Pickle can be seen entering the room around 5:30 a.m. and yelling at the child to "get in that bed." She helps the boy into the bed and turns the TV on. The boy then motions for a drink and Pickle says, "I am not giving you anything." He shakes his head, Pickle turns the TV off, leaves the room and the boy can be heard coughing, according to the document.
Just before 6 a.m., blood appears to be coming out of the boy's mouth. He continues to cough and gag, spitting up what was later confirmed to be blood. Around 9 a.m., the camera showed the blood on his face, shorts, and legs and there were several pools on the bed and floor, the affidavit said.
When the door opened three and half hours after Pickle had come in the first time, the boy could be seen visibly shaking and a voice that sounded Pickle's said, "You not gonna be ugly," the affidavit read.
In an interview on Dec. 30, Pickle told investigators when she got up to change all three kids' diapers on the morning of Dec. 26, she gave them breakfast, and the 10-year-old vomited with a little blood inside. She claimed the boy threw up several times but he was OK, the document stated.
She denied going into the boy's room that night or anything significant happening, contradicting the videos. She also contradicted previous statements she made while recounting what happened, the affidavit explained.
Pickle claimed once he saw the boy unresponsive she called his father and 911. She told the investigator she didn't have custody of four of her children due to physical abuse, according to the affidavit.
The document states Pickle had taken the boy to the hospital in March 2020 saying he couldn't eat but a nurse came in the room to find him eating pudding. She asked hospital staff if he had leukemia and the staff said he did not, but she could be heard on the phone saying he did have leukemia.
In April 2020, he was hospitalized for dehydration and a small infection. When asked about the boy's frequent illness, Pickle denied making him sick. Seven doctors across seven facilities noticed abnormalities in the home treatment the boy was receiving, the affidavit said.