Mother held on felony assault, child on life support

MANKATO, Minn. (The Free Press) — A Mankato mother has been arrested and accused of causing injuries that have left her young child on life support.

A complaint filed in Blue Earth County charges 27-year-old Chelsea Rae Olinger with felony assault, The Free Press reported.

Authorities say she brought her unresponsive 16-month-old child to the Mankato hospital Monday where surgery was done to relieve bleeding on the brain. The toddler was transferred to a Rochester hospital. Court documents say the child has rib fractures, two broken vertebrae and a lacerated liver. Olinger told investigators the toddler fell down a flight of stairs. She was arrested Thursday at the hospital.

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