CEDAR HILLS, UT (KSTU/CNN) – A Utah woman is facing felony child abuse charges for allegedly pulling out her son’s teeth in a Walmart restroom.
Prosecutors say Jeannine Cherilynn Isom, 47, bought hand sanitizer and needle-nosed pliers from the store April 2. She then took the items into the restroom and pulled out two of her 7-year-old son’s teeth, they say.
The boy’s older brother heard the child screaming and got him out of the restroom, police say.
Charging documents show the boy told his brother one of his teeth was loose, but the other was only slightly loose.
Prosecutors say Isom didn’t use any kind of anesthetic.
"This isn't the normal case of helping your child tie a string around their tooth and pull it out and give it to the tooth fairy kind of thing. This was an egregious event. His teeth were not ready to come out. There was no reason for them to come out,” said Sgt. Josh Christensen with the American Fork, UT, Police.
Police say Isom has a history of mental health issues, and they have dealt with her before.
The Division of Child and Family Services is investigating.
Copyright 2017 KSTU via CNN. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
