Bakersfield woman alleged to have abused child on multiple occasions while using meth

Sarah C. Adams, a 36-year-old Bakersfield woman, is being held in the Ozark County Jail without bond after a local grand jury indicted her on nine felonies relating to reportedly abusing, assaulting and endangering the welfare of a child in 2021. 

Adams is charged with three class A felonies including two counts of first-degree child abuse (serious physical injury) and abuse of a child. Class A felonies are the most serious level of charge allowed in Missouri. If convicted of one of the three charges alone, Adams would spend a minimum of 10 years in prison and may be sentenced to life imprisonment. 

She’s also charged with unlawful use of a weapon (exhibiting), three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, creating a substantial risk, second-degree domestic assault and kidnapping. 

According to the probable cause statement filed by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Seth Miller, on May 23 an interview was conducted with a minor child. The report does not give an age of the child, only explaining that the child is younger than 18. 

The child’s court-appointed attorney and Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Weatherman were present during the interview, court documents say. 

Tying child up with phone cord, leaving bruises with hose

During the interview, the child said a verbal argument broke out on Sept. 7, 2021, in which the child and Adams were arguing about chores. 

The child said that the argument turned physical at some point, and Adams forcefully shoved the child onto a bed, placed his/her hands behind the back and bound his/her hands with a phone charger cable. 

Once the child’s hands were tied, Adams reportedly placed her knee into the child’s neck and shoulder and pulled the child’s hair away from his/her face and shoved the child’s face into the bed.

The child said she/he was able to get free of the bounds, escape and get outside after Adams left the room, the report says. 

Another child was reportedly present and became emotional after witnessing the incident. 

The child who was reportedly tied up said Adams hit him/her with a hose in the upper right thigh a few days before that incident, causing pain and the child to bruise. 

A cut resulting in 19 stitches

The child reportedly disclosed another incident in which Adams caused an injury that required hospital treatment. That incident reportedly occurred on July 21, 2021. 

The child reportedly told the officer that while doing the dishes, he/she and Adams were again arguing about the child not doing chores. During the argument, the child reportedly threw a utensil at Adams. In response, Adams reportedly grabbed a 6- to 8-inch kitchen knife, grabbed the child by the shirt and dragged him/her to the back door while threatening further physical abuse, the report says. 

When the pair were at the back door of the home, Adams allegedly pushed the child outside the door and attempted to slam the glass door in the child’s face. The child held up a hand as the door was being pushed shut, causing the glass to break and severely cut the child’s wrist and arm. 

The child ran away from the area after the incident, returning later, he/she said, to allow Adams to calm down. When the child returned, Adams reportedly said she hadn’t caused the injury. 

The child placed a rag on the wound and was taken to get medical supplies at a family member’s home later by another person. After the child was taken to get the supplies, the decision was made to take the child to the hospital by the other person. The child required 19 stitches.

Child said incidents were while she was using meth

The child said both incidents, along with others, occurred while Adams was using drugs. 

Miller asked the child what kind of drugs she used and how he/she knew that Adams was using drugs at those times. 

The child said that Adams argued with another family member over using methamphetamine, and the child witnessed Adams smoking meth from a glass pipe inside her bedroom. 

The child said Adams’s mood would change when she used meth, and she would hallucinate by thinking people were in her attic and in the woods around the house.