A couple in South Carolina was arrested for beating their infant child and forcing a teething toy into the child’s mouth.
Fox Carolina reports that 21-year-old Billy Ray Hawkins Jr. and 19-year-old Rachael Jade Nicole Herron took their infant son to the hospital in Greenville on Aug. 14. The couple claimed that a teething toy had exploded in their child’s mouth, but police became suspicious when the evidence did not match their story.
The infant was found to have multiple fractures, including both arms, and several bruises on his body. His left eye was swollen shut.
According to WLOS, police also noticed that the boy’s mouth was bloody, and had suffered extensive trauma. That was when officers discovered a teething toy in the trash at the emergency room. The toy was broken in half and had blood stains on it.
Hawkins and Herron were each arrested and charged with abuse to inflict great bodily injury upon a child. Hawkins is being held on $50,000, while Herron’s bail was set at $25,000.
The infant, meanwhile, was placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services.
Photo Credit: Greenville PD via Fox Carolina
