Scranton, Pa. - A 50-year-old Scranton woman is facing several felony charges following her late January arrest.
According to court records filed in Lackawanna County, Zakia Patterson was arrested on January 31 and was charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and unlawful restraint of a minor.
The charges follow allegations that Patterson failed to properly care for her 17-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal and immobile. On January 13, the boy was transported by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville where he weighed only 51 pounds, and was diagnosed with severe malnutrition and failure to thrive. In addition, he had multiple advanced bedsores, including one wound where bone was visible.
An investigation was launched after a nurse at Geisinger Medical Center filed a ChildLine tip regarding the boy's condition.
Patterson told investigators she first noticed skin injuries several weeks earlier but did not seek timely medical evaluation for her son. The boy's feeding tube, through which he received nutrition, was found to be leaking for an unknown period of time, and his formula delivery had not been ordered for several months.
Records show child protective services in several states had previously taken custody of the boy on multiple occasions after determining Patterson had neglected him. When placed away from his mother's care, the boy improved.
Scranton police, the Lackawanna County District Attorney, and Lackawanna County officials were unaware of this placement history when Patterson was awarded back custody of her son on a trial basis in late 2024 after moving back to Scranton.
Patterson was arraigned earlier this month. Following the proceeding, bail was set at $50,000 unsecured, which court records indicate has been posted. The case remains active. A preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for March 18 before District Judge Alyce Farrell in Scranton.