By Pat Culverhouse
Webster Parish deputies have arrested a Shongaloo woman for six counts of cruelty to juveniles after responding to her residence for a welfare check and finding young children suffering from numerous injuries.
Sheriff Jason Parker said 43-year-old Julie Michelle Taylor is currently being held in the parish prison under a $160,000 bond. She reportedly is also charged with obstruction.
Parker said deputies were interviewing 26-year-old Sabra Samantha Neal of Springhill who reportedly acknowledged receiving a text message from Taylor asking if she had Mojo. Mojo is a slang term primarily used for a group of synthetic cannabinoid products, often referred to as synthetic marijuana.
During the interview, deputies learned Taylor was caring for Neal’s three children. Neal reportedly said she had planned to leave the children in Taylor’s care, then pick them up the following morning.
Deputies Cody Clifford and Bryan Miller were dispatched to Taylor’s Fire Tower Rd. residence where, upon arrival, they reportedly found an approximately one-year old female strapped in a car seat upside down, with her face lying on concrete. The child reportedly was “crying and screaming.”
Deputies also found two other male juveniles inside the residence. During their investigation, the deputies observed injuries to all three juveniles and called EMS to the scene for evaluations.
According to deputies, the female juvenile had facial bruises while the oldest male juvenile had several bruises and scratch marks throughout his body and on his face, and whelps on his back and right buttocks. The youngest male juvenile reportedly had several bruises and scratch marks throughout his body and whelp marks on his arms and shoulders.
While photographing the residence, deputies reportedly observed a bag containing several clear plastic bags with a green leafy substance in plain view on a couch. Inside the bags were approximately 3.89 grams of synthetic marijuana and rolling papers.
During interviews at the Sheriff’s Office, Taylor reportedly admitted she was “overwhelmed” and placed her hands on the juveniles, and that she “did take it way too far.”
Taylor reportedly admitted she wrapped the seatbelt of her vehicle around the wrists of one of the juveniles. She said she “laid her hands on” the juveniles several times throughout the day, including punching one juvenile while she was driving.
An unidentified witness reportedly told investigators Taylor was hitting the juveniles with her closed fist “as if they were fighting like a grown person would.” The witness reportedly also told deputies Taylor asked them text Neal and another individual about buying Mojo.
As a result of the investigation, Neal was charged with three counts of improper supervision of a minor and obstruction of justice. She reportedly is being held in the parish jail under a bond of $1,003.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.