COLUMBUS, OH – A Columbus mother is facing murder charges after her infant son died from injuries police say were caused by a violent assault in the family’s Italian Village home last week.
Emergency crews responded to a call for help just after 5 p.m. Wednesday on North 4th Street, where they found a nine-month-old boy unconscious. Paramedics rushed the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, but despite immediate medical attention, the boy succumbed to his injuries, which doctors said did not appear accidental.
Police say 30-year-old Billie Jo Tustin was taken into custody Thursday after investigators determined her account of the incident did not match the evidence. Authorities initially charged Tustin with felonious assault, but upgraded the charges to aggravated murder and murder following the child’s death. She is also accused of endangering children.
Medical staff alerted law enforcement after noting that the boy’s injuries suggested a deliberate attack, sparking a homicide investigation by the Columbus Division of Police. Tustin’s 3-year-old daughter was also present in the home at the time but was unharmed, police said. Multiple adults were reportedly in the residence when the incident occurred.
According to investigators, Tustin confessed to throwing her son across a room estimated to be around 15 feet wide, causing him to strike his head. Law enforcement documents indicate she admitted to multiple prior instances of abuse, including slapping and spanking the infant and throwing him shorter distances when frustrated.
Authorities have not clarified how long it took for Tustin to call for emergency services after her son was injured. In a 911 call, Tustin reported that her baby was not breathing, prompting the urgent dispatch of rescue personnel.
Franklin County Children Services acknowledged prior involvement with the family and confirmed that Tustin was in the process of ending her relationship with the agency in the days before the fatal assault. Following the incident, the couple’s three-year-old daughter was placed in the agency’s protective care.
Tustin remains held without bond at the James A. Karnes correctional facility. She is scheduled for arraignment in Franklin County Municipal Court on September 19, where she will face the new string of felony charges.
Police have not reported any injuries to other children in the home, and the investigation continues to look into the circumstances leading up to the deadly assault. Detectives are reviewing all previous interactions the family had with child protective authorities.
Authorities have not released the name of the infant pending notification of additional family members. Further details are expected to be disclosed as the case moves through the judicial process.