Jacksonville Woman Arrested for Child Neglect After Boy Found in Life-Threatening Condition

Warning Graphic Details: It’s one of those stories that stop you in your tracks—and breaks your heart. A 12-year-old boy in Jacksonville, Florida, was found in a condition no child should ever endure: locked in a fetal position, covered in feces, lice crawling on his body, and weighing just 30 pounds. At the center of it all? A 66-year-old woman named Mary Elizabeth Bartholomew, the boy’s supposed caregiver—someone who claimed to be there for him but, according to authorities, neglected him in ways that were both life-altering and life-threatening.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A 66-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with child neglect after authorities discovered a 12-year-old boy in her care living in what doctors described as life-threatening and life-altering conditions.

Mary Elizabeth Bartholomew of Jacksonville was taken into custody on March 27, 2025, following a disturbing investigation that revealed the boy had been left locked in a fetal position for months, severely malnourished, and covered in feces and lice.

Assuming Care Without Legal Authority

According to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) arrest affidavit, Bartholomew assumed full-time caregiving responsibilities for the child in September 2021 after being contacted by the boy’s biological father. Although she told investigators the father had asked her to adopt the boy, she never followed through with adoption, legal guardianship, or power of attorney.

Despite claiming to have bathed, fed, and cared for the boy daily, Bartholomew did not pursue any legal or medical authority to oversee his well-being. The boy, who is nonverbal and non-ambulatory, was wholly dependent on his caregiver for survival.

Shocking Discovery by Authorities

The case was flagged in March 2025 after the Florida Department of Children and Families received an anonymous tip. On March 20, investigators began looking into the situation, prompting visits to Bartholomew’s home and the involvement of the First Coast Child Protection Team (CPT).

On March 24, Detective G. Ward reviewed photographs and obtained a preliminary medical report from CPT authored by Dr. Dully. The findings were harrowing:

• The child was covered in feces, with severe skin ulcers at pressure points.
• He was infested with lice and weighed only 30 pounds.
• His body was locked in a fetal position — a condition Bartholomew claimed had persisted for six months.
• He had not received any formal medical care for years, and his diet consisted only of 8 ounces of cow’s milk five to six times a day with purees.

The boy had been prescribed Pediasure by a doctor but had never received it.

Medical Report: Immediate Risk of Death

A follow-up medical evaluation on March 26 revealed further shocking details:

• The child’s limbs could no longer be moved, with severe contractures due to lack of orthopedic care.
• He had ulcerations on his back and severe protein-calorie malnutrition.
• His iron levels were unmeasurably low, and he required blood transfusions.
• Without a change in care, the doctor warned the child was in immediate danger of death from any potential infection or complication.

The boy was transported to Wolfson Children’s Hospital for emergency care.

Interview and Arrest

On March 27 at 11:30 AM, Bartholomew arrived at the Police Memorial Building for a scheduled interview. She was read her Miranda rights and agreed to speak without an attorney. During the interview, she again acknowledged being the child’s sole caregiver for the past three years. She insisted she fed and bathed the child regularly but offered no explanation for the boy’s dire condition or lack of medical care.

She was arrested later that afternoon at 1:36 PM and charged with neglect of a child causing great bodily harm, a second-degree felony under Florida law. She was booked into the Duval County Jail and assigned Jail ID #2025006591.

Court Appearance and Release

Bartholomew made her first court appearance on March 28. Judge Emmet Ferguson declared her indigent and appointed Public Defender Kevin Pollack. A probable cause affidavit was filed, and the bond was set at $2,503, which Bartholomew posted later that day. She was released pending arraignment.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for April 17, 2025, in Duval County Circuit Court.

“The Conditions Were Alarming”

Investigators described the contrast between the boy’s condition and the state of the rest of the home as particularly disturbing. While Bartholomew’s residence appeared clean and well-kept, the child was found soaked in urine, covered in feces, and severely emaciated on a soiled mattress.

“This was more than a lack of ordinary care,” the report states. “The victim was left with permanent, life-altering, and immediately life-threatening physical conditions.”

Authorities continue to investigate how the situation was allowed to persist for so long and whether other individuals may be held accountable.

🗓️ Timeline: Mary Bartholomew – Child Neglect Case – Mary Elizabeth Bartholomew

September 2021

• Mary Bartholomew assumes full-time caregiving responsibility for the 12-year-old boy at the request of the child’s father.
• She does not obtain legal guardianship or power of attorney.

March 20, 2025 (2:25 PM – 10:19 PM)

• Department of Children and Families (DCF) responded to an anonymous tip about child abuse. The Florida Department of Children and Families Child Protection Investigator discovered the victim in a state requiring emergency medical services and was transported to Wolfson Children’s Hospital at 800 Prudential Dr. The detective was assigned this case through a standard case assignment protocol.

March 24, 2025 (8:00 AM)

• Detective G. Ward visits the First Coast Child Protection Team (CPT) and meets with Case Coordinator Moylan.
• Review photos of the victim and obtain Dr. Dully’s Preliminary Medical and Risk Assessment Report.
• Noted conditions:
  • Covered in feces
  • Severe pressure ulcers
  • Lice infestation
  • Locked in fetal position for 6 months
  • Receiving only 8 oz of cow’s milk 5–6 times/day
  • Not receiving prescribed Pediasure
  • Malnourished and anemic
  • Weighing ~30 lbs
  • Immediate risk of death if infected

March 25, 2025 (10:00 AM)

• Detectives visit Bartholomew’s residence.
• A large urine stain is observed in the victim’s room.

March 26, 2025 (1:00 PM)

• Dr. Dully’s Medical Evaluation received:
  • No orthopedic care for years
  • Bone contractures causing immobility
  • Open pressure ulcers
  • Protein-calorie malnutrition
  • Iron levels are unmeasurably low
  • Requires blood transfusions

March 27, 2025 (11:30 AM)

• Mary Bartholomew voluntarily arrives for a scheduled interview at the Police Memorial Building.
• She is Mirandized and consents to speak.
• Admits to being the boy’s caregiver since 2021, but without legal authority.
• She claims she fed and bathed the child daily.
• Arrested at 1:36 PM by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
• Admitted to jail at 2:31 PM under charge:
  • Neglect of a child causing great bodily harm (F2 felony – Florida Statute 827.03(2)(b)).

March 28, 2025

• Bartholomew appears in court, is deemed indigent, and is appointed a public defender.
• Posted $2,503 bond and released from Duval County Jail.
• Next court date is set for April 17, 2025, Circuit Court before Judge Emmet Ferguson.