by Wyoming Residents Shocked as Pennsylvania Mom Sends Injured Son to School Despite Brain Bleed After ATV Crash
In a case drawing national attention—including in Wyoming, where outdoor recreational activities like ATV riding are common—authorities in Pennsylvania say a mother knowingly sent her 11-year-old son to school with a traumatic brain injury after refusing urgent medical care.
Annessa Stahlman, 44, now faces charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person, according to court documents.
The incident occurred on April 13 at the Breezewood Proving Grounds in Clearville, Pennsylvania—about 130 miles southeast of Pittsburgh—when the boy fell off an ATV and suffered a serious head injury. He was taken to UPMC Bedford, where doctors diagnosed a brain bleed, a condition especially dangerous for children.
Medical staff urged Stahlman to allow an airlift transfer to a Pittsburgh children’s hospital for specialized treatment. Instead, she refused, signed him out against medical advice, and removed his IV and neck brace once inside her car, according to the affidavit. Doctors had stressed that he should wear the brace and avoid physical activity for at least three months.
Rather than taking him to the hospital—or even letting him rest—Stahlman reportedly sent the boy to school the very next day.
At school, he vomited twice and complained of a severe headache. He was immediately airlifted to the children’s hospital in Pittsburgh for emergency care.
To make matters worse, police say the boy’s father was never informed about his condition.
Stahlman was arrested on May 15 by Pennsylvania State Police and is currently held in Bedford County Jail on a $150,000 bond. Her next court hearing is scheduled for May 28. As of now, no attorney is listed for her.
While this tragic case happened in Pennsylvania, it serves as a cautionary tale for outdoor-loving families across the country, including in Wyoming—where ATV adventures are popular but must be paired with responsible safety and medical decisions.
