An Indiana woman has allegedly been arrested on a child neglect charge, after being accused of locking her five-year-old son in an operating washing machine.

A Madison County prosecutor charged 30-year-old Heather Oliver with the level five felony  - neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury - in connection which the incident that occurred on the 16th August, according to court documents.

Law enforcement were sent to St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood, where they met the child's father. The five-year-old was reportedly in and out of consciousness, and had bruises on his upper body and scratches on his arms.

An affidavit details that the boy was "somewhat dry with wet underwear". He was later transported to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis for further evaluation, per Fox 59 Indianapolis.

Court documents state that Oliver told police she got out of bed around 9am that day, thought she saw her son in bed, and then went to the kitchen for a glass of milk. She then alleges that she heard the washing machine filling up, and saw the boy in the machine.

She claims she pushed the stop button, and "yanked" the boy out, before he proceeded to vomit. Instead of calling 911, Oliver called the boy's father, who was at work, and asked him to come home. The father says that when he arrived, Oliver was with their son at the back of the home, near the washer and dryer. He said that the boy was slipping in and out of consciousness, with his eyes rolling back, and that he was "soaking wet".

Rather than call the police, the father, who has remained unidentified, drove his son to the hospital because he said it would be quicker.

In a forensic interview with the boy, the boy was questioned whether his mother was "nice" and he replied that she is "not nice", per court documents. Otherwise, he did not speak any more about the washing machine incident.

Oliver had an initial hearing on the 19th December, and was released on bond the following day, according to online court records.

An Indiana woman has allegedly been arrested on a child neglect charge, after being accused of locking her five-year-old son in an operating washing machine.

A Madison County prosecutor charged 30-year-old Heather Oliver with the level five felony  - neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury - in connection which the incident that occurred on the 16th August, according to court documents.

Law enforcement were sent to St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood, where they met the child's father. The five-year-old was reportedly in and out of consciousness, and had bruises on his upper body and scratches on his arms.

An affidavit details that the boy was "somewhat dry with wet underwear". He was later transported to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis for further evaluation, per Fox 59 Indianapolis.

Court documents state that Oliver told police she got out of bed around 9am that day, thought she saw her son in bed, and then went to the kitchen for a glass of milk. She then alleges that she heard the washing machine filling up, and saw the boy in the machine.

She claims she pushed the stop button, and "yanked" the boy out, before he proceeded to vomit. Instead of calling 911, Oliver called the boy's father, who was at work, and asked him to come home. The father says that when he arrived, Oliver was with their son at the back of the home, near the washer and dryer. He said that the boy was slipping in and out of consciousness, with his eyes rolling back, and that he was "soaking wet".

Rather than call the police, the father, who has remained unidentified, drove his son to the hospital because he said it would be quicker.

In a forensic interview with the boy, the boy was questioned whether his mother was "nice" and he replied that she is "not nice", per court documents. Otherwise, he did not speak any more about the washing machine incident.

Oliver had an initial hearing on the 19th December, and was released on bond the following day, according to online court records.