The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 29, 2008

Charges: Sharon woman injected son with insulin

By Matt Snyder

SHARON — A Sharon woman is charged with injecting her adopted son with insulin, sending him to Children’s Hospital with low blood sugar last summer.

Charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children and simple assault filed against Brenda Ann Jungbluth, 50, of 623 E. State St., were held to court Monday by District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer.

After the non-verbal, autistic 5-year-old boy was admitted to the Pittsburgh hospital, Dr. Oscar Escobar determined someone had given him insulin, according to court documents.

Ms. Jungbluth, the boy’s adoptive mother, denied injecting him but said if she did do it, she doesn’t remember, police said.

Police said Ms. Jungbluth is diabetic and they determined she was the only one in the Fredonia home where she and the boy — who is not diabetic — were living who was prescribed insulin, knew where the insulin and needles were kept, how to administer it, and had the opportunity to inject the child.

They also said Ms. Jungbluth was agitated because of the boy’s behavior and very tired due to cancer treatments.

Home health care and wraparound workers in the home on the day insulin was given were interviewed and said they never injected the boy, police said.

Home nurse Brenda Earl told police that in December 2006 Ms. Jungbluth mentioned in passing that she had given the boy insulin. Ms. Earl told them she assumed the boy, who she doesn’t normally care for, was diabetic.

In another interview, police said home nurse Kara Watson told them Ms. Jungbluth said in a joking manner that if children are given too much food or sugar water that they could just be given some insulin.

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