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A 2-year-old is hospitalized after police say he suffered a fractured skull.
Two grocery store workers are being credited with possibly saving Fredrick Bradford's life. But the mother of one of the accused is denying the charges.
Two-year-old Fredrick Bradford reportedly suffered the unthinkable. Police got a call from two workers at this Harvest Foods on Rodney Parham Wednesday evening to check on the welfare a child. They tracked him to a nearby apartment complex.
(Terry Hastings, Public Information Officer LR Police Department) "Officers found that the child did have two black eyes severe swelling about the head, marks on his back, from extension cords and belts he had bruising all over."
The child's mother, 17-year-old Brittany Bradford and her 22-year-old boyfriend Brandon Bellows now charged with second degree battery.
Hastings says the two admitted physically disciplining the toddler but say the black eyes came from a fall more than a week ago.
(Hastings) "Thank goodness for the Harvest Foods employees, if it had not been for them, this child could have died." (Brandon Bellow's mother, Little Rock) "He would never allow somebody to hurt any child, they're trying to make my child out to be a monster, they're trying to set him up."
Bellow's mother who doesn't want to be shown on camera says she took these pictures after her son and Brittany Bradford told her the toddler hit his head on concrete two weeks ago--and says the injury was healing but -
(Bellow's mother) "After the swelling went away, he bumped his head inside the house on the door facing is what she told me, twice in the same place."
but they never took him to the doctor--the police report says because they didn't have medical insurance. Here's how Bellow's mother explains it after she says she thoroughly checked him.
(Bellow's mother) "We didn't take him to the doctor because he didn't show any signs of trauma. He appeared to me to be okay."
She says Brittany and Fredrick were from California and had been living at the apartment she shared with her son. While she maintains her son's innocence, she remembers the little boy.
(Bellow's mother) "I hope he gets well."
Meanwhile, police continue the investigation.
(Hastings) "When you see a 2-year-old child severely injured by 2 adults in the name of discipline it's really disturbing."
Bellow's mother also says she knew of no abuse. Frederick Bradford was last listed as serious.
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