La Salle woman charged with fracturing infant’s leg

A La Salle woman was released from custody Friday after a judge warned her she could face up to 30 years if convicted of fracturing her baby’s leg.

Cassandra S. Gleason, 21, appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court and was presented with one count of aggravated battery to a child, a Class X felony carrying six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation.

Gleason applied for, and was granted, the services of the public defender. Attorneys in the case then agreed to conditions of pre-trial release, including a requirement that Gleason have no contact with the baby, identified in court records only by its initials.

She will next appear April 25 for arraignment.

In a Friday news release, La Salle police said investigators were contacted Dec. 11 by the Department of Children and Family Services, which reported a 2-month-old girl was found to have a fractured right femur. The infant was later transferred to OSF Health Pediatrics in Peoria.

“An investigation was immediately initiated by the La Salle Police Department’s Detective Division,” police said. “During the investigation, interviews were conducted with the victim’s mother. The case was subsequently forwarded to the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office for review of potential criminal charges.”

On Monday, the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the felony charge. Gleason was picked up on La Salle County warrant Thursday evening by the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.