Garner Mother Charged With Child Abuse After Toddler's Broken Arm Went Untreated

A Garner mother faces two felony counts of intentional child abuse after investigators say she failed to get medical help for her two-year-old's broken upper arm, allowing the child to suffer an untreated fracture long enough that Garner police charged her with a crime on April 1.

Tamika Smith, 23, was arrested that day and booked into the Wake County Detention Center. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

Court documents allege the untreated break in the child's upper arm "prolonged pain and suffering," language that reflects prosecutors' position that Smith knowingly withheld necessary medical care in the face of an objectively serious injury to a toddler. The two felony counts of intentional child abuse causing serious bodily injury carry significant prison exposure if she is convicted.

Garner police investigated after the injury came to their attention, though specific details about when the fracture occurred or when it first surfaced were included in court filings but not fully detailed in the initial public account of the arrest.

Cases involving medical neglect of very young children typically move on two parallel tracks. Criminally, Smith's case will proceed through Wake County's court system with pretrial hearings and potential trial. On the child-welfare side, such arrests routinely prompt review by child protective services, possible changes to custody or visitation arrangements, and close coordination between prosecutors and social-service agencies focused on the child's recovery. Any path toward reunification would likely require meeting court-imposed conditions, including mandated medical care, parenting education, and compliance with therapy requirements.

Garner police asked anyone with additional information to contact investigators. With Smith's first appearance set for Thursday, court filings and hearing outcomes will begin filling in the full factual timeline and the strength of the government's evidence.