Staff Report

Lindsey Jo Bowser

SYRACUSE — A Syracuse woman was arrested for allegedly battering a child.

Lindsey Jo Bowser, 34, 204 N. Huntington St., Syracuse, is charged with domestic battery resulting in bodily injury to a person under the age of 14, a level 5 felony; and neglect of a dependent, a level 6 felony.

On Jan. 28, a Syracuse Police officer spoke with an Indiana Department of Child Services worker about an abuse report involving Bowser.

According to court documents, an individual received texts from Bowser about a child. The texts discussed the child receiving a “very bad, severe punishment that lasted from the time we got home until the time (the child) went to sleep.”

Bowser’s texts also stated the punishment in question would continue for the next two days in order to scare the child into being good. Her texts further stated she hated the child and that they added stress to her life.

“At home, it’s fine because (the child knows) I beat the living s*** out of (them),” read one of the texts.

Reports also noted the child discussed in the texts had a bruised face.

Bowser told police she spanked the child three to four times with a belt on Jan. 27. Officers noticed the child had severe bruising to their middle and lower back, buttocks, left leg, chest, neck, and face.

Bowser said she couldn’t remember if she hit the child’s chest.

The child was interviewed at the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center on Jan. 30. They said Bowser spanked them with a belt, her hand, and a paddle. Bowser also allegedly gave the child a cold shower and hit them with a closed fist and open hand. In the interview, the child also said Bowser put soap in their mouth and hit them every single day.

Two additional children were interviewed about the battery and said they were told by Bowser to play outside so they wouldn’t hear the victim scream. They also said Bowser locked the victim inside a room so they couldn’t come out. The children also said there were some days where the victim did not receive supper and occasionally slept in a closet.

In additional interviews with police, Bowser admitted to putting soap in the victim’s mouth and making them take cold showers. She also said she locked the child in a room for approximately seven hours on Jan. 28.

Bowser has already been arrested and released on bond.