Gresham, Oregon – A mother, Sharday McDonald, 30, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after a shocking incident in 2021. Oregon prosecutors have revealed that McDonald subjected her baby to waterboarding and even placed him in a freezer, all in an attempt to test the father’s concern for their child.
McDonald pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including criminal mistreatment, identity theft, and tampering with a witness, following an incident that unfolded on October 28, 2021. Authorities were alerted when a concerned individual reported seeing the mother placing her baby in a freezer.
Upon arriving at McDonald’s apartment, a police officer overheard her shouting at Kendrick Neal, the child’s father. She exclaimed, “I’m about to show you real quick. You don’t want him? … Let me show you about this little baby, I don’t give a care about,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
McDonald was sentenced to 30 days in jail and is expected to be released on October 6, as per records from the Multnomah County Detention Center. Her guilty plea was entered on July 28.
When the officer entered McDonald’s apartment, she was found holding the child wrapped in a blanket. McDonald claimed that her actions were not intended to harm or kill her son but instead involved a “test” for Neal’s response. Shockingly, pictures revealed McDonald waterboarding the infant by holding him “by his onesie” with water pouring over his face.
Describing the images, the officer stated, “It looked like [the baby] was trying to hold his breath while water was pouring over his face…” In one photograph, McDonald was holding the baby almost upside down, causing water to enter his nose.
While being taken to jail, McDonald confessed that her actions were motivated by spite, as she wanted Neal to return to her apartment. A doctor consulted during the investigation suggested that the child was likely unable to breathe during the waterboarding incident, emphasizing the potentially life-threatening consequences of McDonald’s actions.
This disturbing case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of children in challenging family situations. McDonald’s actions have resulted in legal consequences, emphasizing the gravity of child mistreatment.
