An Australian mother who beat her eight-month-old baby with kitchen utensils has avoided jail time, with the judge reasoning that the infant's injuries were "likely to resolve".
Lorien Norman, 26, called Adelaide police in October 2016 threatening to throw her baby, Evie, from a balcony. When police arrived they noticed bruising on the infant's face and body.
Norman denied causing the injuries, claiming Evie had a fall the day before, but later admitted violence.
A court examination concluded the infant had sustained "at least eight separate blows to her face and body" caused by a slotted wooden spoon and a hand.
While causing harm with intent carries a maximum sentence of 13 years behind bars, Norman walked out of court only having to pay a AU$500 (NZ$550) good behaviour bond.
She will be monitored by a community corrections officer for two years.
Judge Costello told the court that "whist any assault of a child, particularly one of such a tender age and vulnerability, by a parent stands as a gross breach of trust, your offending is nevertheless far from the most serious of offending of this type in terms of the degree of force involved and the duration of the offending," The Independent reports.
"In this respect I particularly note the opinion of the treating paediatrician to the effect that there was no evidence of bony or intracranial injury and that your daughter's physical injuries were likely to completely resolve."
Evie's father now has full custody of her.
Newshub.
