Hopkinsville police have charged two local residents on child abuse charges after a four-year old had to be treated at a Nashville hospital.
The arrest warrants for 23-year old Shantarria Norris and 27-year old Tevin Ward of Hopkinsville say they told police on February 7 that they believed the four-year old had drank out of the toilet while they were in another part of the house when EMS and officers were called to their home for an unresponsive child.
The four-year old was taken to Jennie Stuart Medical Center and then transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where it was determined the child was severely dehydrated and malnourished.
The warrant says the child had to be intubated and an examination revealed bruises on their torso, neck and legs.
Norris is the child’s mother and Ward is the step-father, according to police.
Norris and Ward are both charged with criminal abuse of a child under the age of 12 in the first-degree and were jailed on a $25,000 bond.