Carthage, Missouri — A Missouri couple, Braxton Blevins and Emily Katz, faces serious charges after their 1-year-old son was found severely malnourished and near starvation, despite having sufficient food and medical supplies in the home. The parents are accused of child abuse and endangerment following the child’s repeated hospitalizations for malnutrition and other medical issues.
On March 1, 2025, authorities were alerted by Children’s Mercy Hospital about the child’s condition, describing him as suffering from “severe malnutrition, starvation, recurrent infections, and failure to thrive.” Hospital staff revealed that the child had been treated multiple times for similar conditions and had shown improvement when provided with proper care and nutrition in the hospital.
Despite claiming they had been following the prescribed care plan, an investigation found that the parents had multiple unused bags of the child’s necessary feeding formula, “Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN),” stored in their refrigerator. These feeding bags, essential for the child’s caloric intake, were not being administered as needed. Blevins admitted to missing multiple feedings due to marijuana use and falling asleep, which contributed to the child’s significant weight loss during the final month under his care.
The hospital’s care team determined that the child’s deteriorating condition was a direct result of neglect. Blevins, who had been trained to provide the child’s medical care, confessed that he recognized his inability to meet his son’s needs but continued to care for him due to fears of losing custody of their other child.
Katz, the child’s mother, also acknowledged the failure to provide proper care, including neglecting the child’s central line and feeding tube. She gave no explanation for the lack of care and ended her interview with investigators.
Both Blevins and Katz were arrested but released on bond, with the condition that they have no contact with minors. They are scheduled for arraignment on May 28, 2025.
