Mother charged with child abuse |

Mother charged with child abuse

Posted by Sandra On December - 22 - 2009

Mother charged with child abuse

By Staff Reports

A Columbia mother is behind bars after allegedly using excessive force to spank two of her three children.

Adrienne Witherspoon, 30, was arrested and charged Thursday with two counts of aggravated child abuse.

Maury County Sheriff’s Detective Terry Chandler said authorities were alerted to the alleged abuse after one of the children approached a school resource officer at E.A. Cox Middle School.

Two of the children, who are 8 and 10 years old, had visible bruises on their chest, back and arms, according to an arrest warrant. One of the children told authorities his brother had also been beaten.

The warrant states Witherspoon used a belt to repeatedly strike both children.

“They were overspanked,” Chandler said.

Witherspoon’s children, including a 5-year-old, are now in protective custody with the Department of Children Services, Chandler said.

Aggravated child abuse is generally considered a Class B felony, unless the victim is 8 years old or younger or otherwise physically or mentally handicapped. Because one of the alleged victims is 8 years old, one of the abuse charges counts as a Class A felony, according to state law.

She remained jailed Friday in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Report: Woman sneaks pills into jail inside BibleMaury County Sheriff’s officials say a Santa Fe woman tried using a Bible to sneak contraband into the jail during a visit with an inmate.

Martina McGee, 27, 3140 Lewis Road, was arrested and charged with introduction of contraband into a penal institution and criminal impersonation.

Authorities say the woman had hidden pills and tobacco inside the Bible, according to an incident report. She also gave officers a false name, the report states.

Introducing contraband into a penal institution is a Class C felony, punishable by up to a 15-year prison sentence.

McGee remained jailed Friday in lieu of $10,000 bond.

Woman struck by vehicleA woman was flown to a Nashville hospital after a car slipped out of gear and rolled over her, trapping her underneath the vehicle, authorities said.

The accident happened about 6:10 p.m. Sunday on State Route 48 just past Willis Furniture in Lewis County.

The woman’s name and condition were not available Sunday night.

County board to vote on feesThe Maury County Commission will consider raising the fees for using the memorial building at its meeting Monday.

The county mayor’s office did not respond to a phone message requesting a detailed list of all fee changes, and the commission’s resolution does not specify exactly which fees are being increased.The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Hunter Matthews Building in downtown Columbia.

At a committee meeting earlier this week, Bailey told commissioners the rent for a business or social event with 100 attendees or more would be raised from $400 to $600. Rent for commercial use for up to two days would be increased from $500 to $800. Rent for the building’s Rayburn Room was doubled to $50.

Story created Dec 21, 2009 – 15:15:33 EST.

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