Mississippi – In a harrowing incident in Mississippi that highlights the serious repercussions of mental health crises, a 37-year-old mother, identified as B. Hensley, faces severe legal consequences after a “deal” with her 10-year-old daughter went tragically awry. The mother now faces charges of aggravated child abuse after her daughter nearly lost her life.
The ordeal unfolded on the evening of July 6 when the police department received an urgent call about an unresponsive child at a motel, an extended-stay lodging where Hensley and her daughter had been residing. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the young girl unconscious, surrounded by several unidentified pill capsules and empty prescription medication bottles that had been prescribed to Hensley.
Paramedics quickly administered emergency care to the girl. The young girl was transported to a hospital and was subsequently intubated due to the severity of her condition. She was flown to another hospital for further treatment. In a critical but stable condition, the girl later regained consciousness and provided a chilling account of the events to the police. She revealed that she and her mother had agreed to claim their own lives by taking numerous pills. According to reports, the 10-year-old girl “followed through” her part of the “deal,” but the mother backed away and watched her overdose.
According to Police Chief R. Lemaire, Hensley panicked upon realizing that her daughter might not recover. “She had this suicide pact with her daughter, and the daughter took the pills, but (Hensley) didn’t,” Lemaire said. “So, the momma started freaking out when her daughter wouldn’t wake up.”
The girl’s survival led to her being placed under the care of Child Protective Services, where her recovery continues to be monitored closely. Meanwhile, the gravity of the incident prompted an immediate response from local authorities. Hensley was scheduled to meet with police detectives and Child Protective Services investigators; however, she fled to Alabama, complicating the legal proceedings.
Police obtained a warrant for Hensley’s arrest in September. The charges laid against her include aggravated child abuse, reflecting the legal and societal implications of endangering a child’s life through coerced participation in life-threatening behavior. After a search that spanned a few months, Hensley was located and arrested by the authorities in Alabama on October 15. Following her arrest, she was extradited back to Mississippi and is currently held in jail with a bond set at $500,000.
As the case progresses, Hensley awaits her day in court to answer for the charges against her. The legal community and general public alike are left to ponder the dire consequences of mental health struggles that go unchecked, particularly when they affect vulnerable populations such as children. The incident has sparked discussions on the need for better mental health support systems and the protection of children from such devastating circumstances.
