Woman arrested after son found inside running washing machine

Heather Oliver, 30, charged with neglect after incident in Elwood, Indiana

A woman has been charged with child neglect after her five-year-old son was trapped inside a running washing machine.

Police were called after the boy was taken to hospital in Elwood, Indiana, with bruises and scratches to his upper body on 16 August.

His mother, Heather Oliver, told officers she went into the laundry room after hearing the washing machine filling with water at around 9am.

She said she then noticed her son was trapped inside, pushed the stop button and pulled him out, according to court documents.

However, rather than calling 911, she rang the boy’s father, who arrived to find the boy soaking wet, vomiting and slipping in and out of consciousness.

Doctors told police the boy’s injuries were “highly suspicious for non-accidental trauma”.

Tests of the Lucky Goldstar washer confirmed it would not work while the lid was open.

The boy later told police in interview that his mum was ”not nice” but did not otherwise refer to the incident, according to Fox59.

Madison County prosecutors charged Oliver with neglect by “knowingly and intentionally placing a dependent in a situation that endangers her son’s life and health which resulted in bodily injury”.