AHT: South Carolina: Amber Lynn Bracci

RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) -- Police are charging a 19-year old Ridgeville mother in connection with the death of her 16-month old child.

Rowan James Bracci passed away at MUSC Saturday, two days after he was transferred from North Trident Hospital with injuries to his head. 

An autopsy conducted by the Dorchester County Coroners office shows the toddler died from blunt force trauma to the head.

"You have the shaken baby syndrome and that causes injury - but this is a direct blunt hit to the head," Dorchester County Sheriff L.C Knight said.

Thursday, sheriff's investigators met with Amber Lynn Bracci.

During their interview Knight decided "at that point in time we felt our case, we felt it was time to make an arrest."

Soon after, Bracci was charged with Homicide by Child Abuse.  A judge denied her bond Friday morning.

Investigators say Bracci told deputies she put her baby to sleep on January 5th and didn't notice anything unusual until the next day.

She went on to say that her baby did start whining, but she thought Rowan was just dreaming.

But when she went to check on him a bit later, the child's eyes were rolling back into his head - that's when she called 9-1-1.

Word of the child's death spread quickly in the tight knit Ridgeville community.

George Wimberly owns and operated the town garage.

He said knows the family well and never noticed any signs of abuse.

"There is nothing there like that," Wimberly said.   "I've seen the girl and the kid at birthday parties and she was always good with the child - I don't know what happened - the truth will come out. The town is talking everyone wants to know what happened."

The Dorchester County Sheriff's Office says someone else was home at the time of the alleged abuse and plan to keep the investigation open.

Amber Lynn Bracci is being held at the Dorchester County Correctional facility - a bond hearing has been scheduled for Friday morning.

http://www.abcnews4.com/Global/story.asp?S=13841673