A Florida mother has avoided jail time after authorities say she left her 3-month-old daughter outside overnight in cold conditions, resulting in life-altering injuries that doctors later described as consistent with abuse.

Kelly Ward, 23, pleaded no contest to child neglect causing great bodily harm in Volusia County. A judge withheld adjudication, meaning she was not formally convicted, and instead sentenced her to 48 months of probation. The conditions include undergoing a substance abuse evaluation and completing a parenting course approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The incident dates back to the night of Nov. 7, 2023, in DeLand, when temperatures dipped into the mid-50s. According to investigators, Ward, who was pregnant at the time, arrived home around 10 p.m. with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. Over the next several hours, the couple was seen outside with the infant multiple times, raising concern among other residents in the home.

Nine people lived in the residence, and some expressed unease about the boyfriend staying overnight, telling police he gave off a “weird vibe” and raising concerns about his behavior around children. Despite those concerns, he remained in the home that night.

According to an affidavit, the baby was put to sleep sometime between 2 and 3 a.m., but was described as distressed — crying, screaming, and appearing to have “night terrors.” Hours later, by the morning, the infant’s condition had worsened dramatically.

One resident reported the baby was lethargic, pale, and unresponsive. Others said she initially appeared normal, but by the time Ward and her boyfriend left for a doctor’s appointment and later returned, the infant was wheezing and unusually subdued.

The baby was found with bruising on her abdomen and scratch marks on her body. Ward and others suggested a small chihuahua in the home may have stepped on the child, but responding EMS workers rejected that explanation, noting the dog’s size made it highly unlikely to cause such injuries.

Authorities were not contacted until nearly 11:40 a.m., hours after concerning symptoms were first observed.

Both Ward and her boyfriend admitted they were the last people with the child before she was placed in her bassinet. However, investigators noted inconsistencies in their accounts. The boyfriend described Ward as inattentive, while Ward’s own statements shifted over time.

In a recorded phone call arranged by investigators more than a month later, Ward questioned her boyfriend about what might have happened — even suggesting it could have been accidental. He denied harming the child and refused to take a lie detector test.

Investigators also uncovered that the boyfriend had previously been required to take anger management classes after a separate incident involving a different infant in Polk County, where a child suffered a broken arm.

Medical professionals concluded that the infant’s injuries were the result of “life-threatening nonaccidental trauma.” A doctor involved in her care stated the injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, also known as shaken impact syndrome.

Despite the severity of the findings, Ward will not serve jail time under the terms of her plea. It remains unclear whether the agreement was reached in coordination with prosecutors.

The current condition of the child has not been publicly disclosed.