child cruelty

14 Stories

Pastor Told Kids 'I Love You,' Then Taped Their Mouths

Louisiana's John Raymond charged with 3 counts of child cruelty

(Newser) - A Christian school headmaster accused of taping shut the mouths of seventh-graders says he was only "building character." The parents of three of five students at Lakeside Christian Academy in Slidell, La., opted to press charges, meaning Pastor John Raymond is now facing three counts of cruelty to...

Quest for Photo With Zoo Elephant Ends With Dad's Arrest

Jose Manuel Navarrete faces child cruelty charges

(Newser) - A father’s quest for a memorable photograph during a visit to the San Diego Zoo ended with his arrest. Jose Manuel Navarrete, 25, on Friday bypassed multiple barriers to enter a habitat for Asian and African elephants while carrying his 2-year-old daughter, the AP reports. “You hear this...

Lice May Have Indirectly Killed Girl, Parents Charged

Grand jury to consider 2nd-degree murder charges against Mary Horton and Joey Yozviak

(Newser) - A 12-year-old Georgia girl may have died as an indirect result of a severe lice infestation that may have gone on for years, investigators said. The new details on the August death of Kaitlyn Yozviak were discussed during a preliminary hearing Monday after which Wilkinson County Superior Court Judge Brenda...

Cops: Mom Poured Water on Face of Sleeping Infant

Caitlin Alyse Hardy faces cruelty charges over online video

(Newser) - Any mother will tell you having children comes with a lack of sleep. Caitlin Alyse Hardy, however, may not have gotten the memo, as she's now facing a charge of cruelty to children after allegedly pouring water on her sleeping infant's face as "payback for waking me...

Woman in Jail After Failing to Prove Existence of God

Police say mom crashed car to prove to kids God would protect them

(Newser) - Police say a 25-year-old Georgia woman is in jail after trying—and failing—to prove the existence of God to her children, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Bahari Warren was driving with her two children—ages 5 and 7—Wednesday in Norcross when she crossed into oncoming traffic and drove straight...

It Looks Like a Dump, but It Was Home to 3 Kids

Homeless parents charged following discovery in Joshua Tree, Calif.

(Newser) - At first glance, authorities saw what they thought was an abandoned trailer and a large plywood box amid a sea of trash in Joshua Tree, Calif. On second glance, they realized this was the shelter of three children, ages 11, 13, and 14, and their parents. Mona Kirk, 51, and...

Girl, 9, Dies After 325-Pound Cousin Sat on Her: Cops

64-year-old arrested for homicide, child cruelty; child's parents also arrested

(Newser) - A 9-year-old girl was allegedly killed by her adult cousin, a 325-pound woman accused of sitting on the child to punish her for misbehaving, the AP reports. Per the Pensacola News Journal , Dericka Lindsay was pronounced dead Saturday after an incident at the home of her parents, Grace Smith, 69,...

Photo Taken From Window Led to Missing NC Teen

Hailey Burns rescued hours after her parents got a message online

(Newser) - Shaunna and Anthony Burns awoke on May 23, 2016, to find their daughter missing and their front door unlocked. It is believed Hailey Burns, then 16, left the home in Charlotte, NC, and was picked up less than a mile away by a man she'd met online. A year...

20 Kids, 20 Dogs Found in 'Uninhabitable' Home

Five women were arrested on suspicion of child cruelty

(Newser) - Authorities removed 20 children and 20 dogs—two of them dead—from a house in Victorville, Calif., on Friday while arresting the five adult women who lived there, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to police, the "uninhabitable" house had no gas or electricity. There wasn't enough food...

Mom Jailed for Facebooking While Child Drowns

Judge blames 'consistently bad parenting' for her son's death

(Newser) - A 31-year-old British mother has been sentenced to spend the next five years in jail after her 2-year-old son drowned in a pond while she was checking Facebook, the Guardian reports. Claire Barnett was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to child cruelty in connection with the death of her...

Mom Arrested After Baby Saved From Hot Car

Leave a shoe as a reminder, safety groups urge

(Newser) - A 5-week-old baby in Slidell, La., is only alive today because somebody noticed the child in the backseat of a car outside a strip mall Monday afternoon and called 911, police say. A police officer used a device to unlock the vehicle and rescue the unconscious infant, who was sweating...

Mom Locks Child in Room Where She Shoots, Kills Self

Police say 5-year-old found loaded .38-caliber revolver

(Newser) - A woman who locked her 5-year-old daughter up in a room with a loaded gun has been charged with second-degree murder in the child's death, police in New Orleans say. Initial investigations show that the girl found a loaded .38-caliber revolver in the bedroom and accidentally shot herself in...

Drunk Grandparents Busted for Towing Girl in Toy Car

Florida couple told cops they were just having fun

(Newser) - It's probably going to be a long time before Paul and Belinda Berloni will be allowed to be in charge of a motor vehicle—or their granddaughter. The couple were arrested after Florida police spotted them in their SUV, driving at speeds of up to 10mph while towing the...

Toddler Nailed Inside Bedroom
 Toddler Nailed Inside Bedroom 

Toddler Nailed Inside Bedroom

Georgia cops kick in door, parents busted

(Newser) - Georgia parents have been busted after their 3-year-old son was found trapped in his bedroom with the door nailed shut. The boy was wearing a soiled diaper, had severe diaper rash and open sores, and no access to proper nutrition—only rotted food and spoiled milk littered the floor, reports...

14 Stories