Ten months after her 5-year-old daughter’s death and three months after she was charged in connection with it, a Springdale mother was arrested Monday.
Bryce Foster, 26, of Springdale is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangering. Investigators said Foster did not provide her daughter Kaysen Blackshear with medical help in a timely manner, leading to her death.
Foster took her Kaysen, who suffered from seizures, to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Liberty Campus on July 17, investigators said.
Social workers there suspected child abuse and transferred Kaysen to the hospital’s main campus in Cincinnati where she later died.
A social worker said the girl was “nonresponsive” when she first arrived at that hospital and had several injuries and swellings in her brain.
“It was previously reported that Kaysen had some injuries to her face, back, and a chipped tooth, but it is not believed those played any role in her death,” Springdale police said Wednesday. “Based upon the coroner’s findings, the delay in providing medical care for Kaysen caused her death,”
When Foster was charged in February, investigators said Foster did not call 911 when she saw her daughter was in medical distress. Court documents state she instead tried “home remedies” and provided CPR to Kaysen for several hours before taking her to the hospital, but by the time they arrived the child was in full cardiac arrest.
Kaysen was the subject of a 2019 Enquirer story that reported she suffered from a genetic disorder that caused seizures. The story was written in a partnership with the United Way and, as a result, a vehicle was donated to the family.
The article said that Kaysen had many doctor’s appointments and was raised by her mother. It is unclear if Kaysen’s medical condition played a role in her death. Court documents do not say what caused the injuries that prompted the social worker’s concern.
Once Foster was charged in February, officials said they could no longer locate her and asked for the public’s help to find her.
Police said Foster was arrested Monday in Chicago during a traffic stop. On Tuesday, Foster was booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center.
She appeared in court Wednesday where her bond was set at $300,000. A grand jury is expected to review the charges by May 20.
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