Judge grants $10K bond, but suspect must stay away from children

Attorney says child's arm broken in two places; Two other cases being investigated

A Fayetteville day care employee has been arrested for causing a “serious” arm injury to a 14-month old boy at the center, police said.

Police also revealed Thursday that they are investigating a second child abuse case at Magnolia Park Day Care Center that was reported Dec. 1 although no arrests have yet been made. And a local attorney reported that a third similar incident dating back to September has now been reported to Fayetteville police.

Trista Bowlden, 22, of Griffin, was arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with one felony count of cruelty to children, police said.

An attorney representing the victim’s family said Thursday that the child’s arm was broken in two places and that Bowlden said the child was hurt when he fell from a kid-sized picnic table.
Three doctors have reviewed the child’s injuries and each determined “there was no way that could have happened,” said attorney Eldridge Suggs IV of Atlanta.

Police were initially notified of the injury Dec. 20 when the child was taken by family members to Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Atlanta by family members, police said. Attorney Suggs said the injury was noticed after the child returned home from day care when he took his jacket off to reveal a severely swollen arm.

The injury to the child’s arm was “serious, but not life-threatening,” said Lt. Beverly Trainor of the Fayetteville Police Department.

In atypical fashion, Bowlden was granted a $10,000 bond Thursday afternoon after attorneys met behind closed doors and agreed on a “consent bond,” announced Fayette County Chief Magistrate Charles Floyd Jr. Doing so allowed Bowlden to escape the view of members of the media who had been expecting her appearance in open court for Floyd to consider a bond.

According to the conditions of her bond, Bowlden can have no contact with children and she can not go near a child care center.

Bowlden was represented by defense attorney Steve Harris, the former top prosecutor in Fayette County State Court.

Bond cases are routinely heard in open court, although sometimes they occur at the Fayette County Jail, particularly on weekends when the courthouse is closed.

The police investigation is still active, as detectives interview other employees at the day care center for typical follow-up in the case, Trainor said.

The second investigation involves an arm injury to a 2-month-old baby, police said. Although that incident was reported to police on Dec. 1, the investigation is taking longer because there are multiple suspects, according to Lt. Beverly Trainor of the Fayetteville Police Department.

The third reported incident involves another 14-month old child who also broke an arm while under the care of Bowlden at Magnolia Park, said Fayetteville attorney John B. Miller. The injury occurred Sept. 11 and the parents were told the child fell off a piece of playground equipment, Miller said.

At the time, the parents expressed their concern with management of the day care center and were told that Bowlden would no longer be caring for kids there, Miller said.

Miller said in light of the other two reported arm injuries to children, his firm will be looking into a possible lawsuit against the owners of the day care center.

Magnolia Park Day Care Center is located at 500 Ga. Highway 54, suite 450.