SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 10, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A foster mother was arrested Sunday after multiple Salt Lake City restaurant customers called police, saying they witnessed abusive behavior towards her foster daughter.
A probable cause statement from the Third District Court of Salt Lake County said Susan Marie West, 65, is facing a charge of child abuse involving physical injury, a class A misdemeanor.
The statement said police were dispatched to multiple calls of child abuse at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City.
“The foster mother, Susan West, was seen by multiple witnesses smacking her foster child in the face and over a dozen times on the arm while they were inside the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant,” the statement said. “Witnesses stated that she grabbed the child by her ponytail and dragged her out of her seat during an outburst by the child.”
Another witness stated that he saw West put both hands around the child’s neck and attempted to force her into the car while the child was screaming, the statement said. All witnesses signed and filled out witness statements.
The arresting officer wrote: “When I asked the mother about it, she stated, ‘I did, but what do you expect me to do?’ The mother said this has happened before and similar outcomes have occurred.”
After speaking with the witnesses and the mother, it was determined she knowingly caused physical abuse to the child, and left visible marks. Those marks were photographed by crime lab officials, the statement said.
West was transported to the Salt Lake County Jail with her bail set at $2,500, while the child was taken into state custody.
