Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of sensitive details about child abuse and violence. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
A Louisville grandmother, Yvonne Shanks, has been accused of turning a blind eye to her grandchildren after they suffered shocking injuries at the hands of their parents. The children, whose names are being withheld for privacy reasons, were in critical condition when police officials found them. The children, aged 1 and 2, were discovered with life-threatening injuries.
ABC affiliate WHAS11 cited arrest records from the Louisville Police Department in Kentucky, which revealed details of the alleged abuse. Records revealed the 2-year-old was the first of the two siblings to have been rescued by a Third Division.
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains descriptions of extreme child abuse.
A Kentucky trio—including a mother, father, and grandmother—has been arrested in Louisville for the brutal abuse of two infants. Nicholas Shanks, 27, Shelby Kuntz, 25, and Yvonne Shanks, 49, face charges of… pic.twitter.com/2iaBkUTXeX
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) January 19, 2026
The toddler’s heart had stopped when he was brought into the UofL Hospital Southwest last Thursday. After emergency services administered CPR and helped restart the heart, the child was reportedly transferred to Norton Children’s Hospital for further care. However, 911 was not notified at the time.
It wasn’t just a stopped heart that concerned hospital authorities. According to reports, the child had endured multiple fractures to his skull and ribs. When it comes to his head injury, depending on the force and nature of the injury, the child would be at risk of brain damage. Similarly, if even a single rib were to have been moved the wrong way, it could have also punctured the child’s organs.
The child was also found with bruising, missing teeth, severe anemia, and malnourishment per the grandmother’s arrest records. Special Victims Unit (SVU) and Child Protective Services were immediately notified about the crime. They immediately rushed to the child’s home at 5500 Goldrod Road in Valley Station, where they walked into another haunting scene.
Upon inspection, they found a 1-year-old child with “obvious signs of trauma” and notified emergency services immediately. After emergency services completed first aid, the child was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found similar injuries.
The 1-year-old suffered severe internal bleeding in the skull, followed by three fractures in the same area. Additionally, the other child appeared to have been struck on the face and suffered laceration wounds to the eyes, nose, and mouth. The child also suffered a massive jaw fracture and, like the sibling, was malnourished and terribly underweight.
Nicholas Shanks, 27, and Shelby Kuntz, 25, were arrested Jan. 15 after their 2 year old was taken to UofL hospital in full cardiac arrest.
The child was resuscitated and immediately transferred to Norton Children’s Hospital.
Hospital staff reported the child suffered multiple… pic.twitter.com/D0Byjma9rG
— Kentucky Girl (@Notwokenow) January 17, 2026
Police questioned the grandmother about her actions, given the children’s heartbreaking condition, and inquired about how they got these injuries. Shanks claimed that she had observed their injuries but didn’t take action to notify 911 or get them medical attention on Thursday.
Shortly after her interview, police arrested Shanks on Friday, where she faced multiple charges for her crime. Shanks was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, criminal child abuse, wanton endangerment, and assault.
The Louisville grandmother was arrested just a day after her grandkids’ parents were also arrested under similar charges. Louisville Police Department officials also arrested Yvonne’s son, Nicholas Shanks, and the kids’ mother, Shelby Kuntz.
In addition to the child abuse charges, the dad was also charged with possession of meth and promoting contraband. The mom, on the other hand, faced domestic violence assault, child abuse, and child endangerment. All three of them have pleaded not guilty and are set to make their appearance in court on January 26, 2026.
