Jessica S. Gubrud
Photo submitted

By Alexandra Hedrick

Picayune Item 

The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a woman for felony child abuse of her three-month-old daughter, said Chief Deputy Shane Tucker.

Tucker said on Nov. 13 at 8:36 p.m., the sheriff’s department responded to a call from the parents of the child saying their daughter was having a seizure and they were taking the child to Highland Hospital.

When deputies arrived at the hospital, the parents of the child said they were watching television with the child in a bassinet when she started having seizures, Tucker said.

On Nov. 14, the sheriff’s department was advised by the Department of Human Services that the child had been airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson, Tucker said. He said the sheriff’s department was told by medical staff at UMC that the child was experiencing bleeding on the brain and had a skull fracture.

Detectives Randy Mesa and Mac Ogden opened an investigation and looked into the family history. During their investigation, Tucker said, the detectives discovered the injured child had a twin, who sustained non life-threatening injuries.

Tucker said detectives met with the family and the Department of Human Services subsequently took three other children under the age of five who resided in the home to UMC to be evaluated. The other children didn’t have any injuries, Tucker said.

The sheriff’s department was advised by UMC medical staff that the child’s injuries were the result of child abuse, Tucker said. The investigators were able to rule out the other caretakers of the children and focused on the mother, he said.

The investigation revealed the mother, Jessica Sue Gubrud, 25, of 320 Albert Prince Rd. in Carriere, was responsible for the child’s injuries.

Gubrud was taken into custody and charged with felony child abuse, Tucker said.