From Law & Crime · · 2m
Stepmom Whips 7-Year-Old Girl with Belt After Child Claims Punishment Didn't Hurt
Stepmom in West Virginia accused of beating 7-year-old with belt after child said punishment didn't hurt.
In brief
Stepmom in West Virginia accused of beating 7-year-old with belt after child said punishment didn't hurt. A 24-year-old stepmother in West Virginia is charged with child abuse after allegedly whipping her 7-year-old stepdaughter with a belt when the girl claimed the punishment didn't hurt. Originally reported by Law &…
Stepmom accused of child abuse
A 24-year-old stepmother in West Virginia is accused of abusing her stepdaughter by allegedly beating the 7-year-old with a belt after the child claimed punishment didn't hurt.
Child reported abuse to sheriff
A Randolph County Schools employee contacted the county sheriff's office on Sept. 15 to report possible abuse of a student after the victim's father said there had been an incident the evening before that went…
Child claimed punishment didn't hurt
The child told her stepmother that the punishment didn't hurt, prompting Johnson to command her to feel pain and grab a belt.
Bruises observed on child
A school employee later observed bruises on the girl's arms, hand, and lower back and referred the matter to Child Protective Services.
Stepmother admitted to belt use
Johnson admitted to hitting the child with a belt, saying she typically spanked the girl with an open palm but had been going through a lot after a family member's death.
Stepmother explained belt use
Johnson described using about 4 to 5 inches of the belt tip opposite the buckle end and said the child was moving between the toilet and bathtub during the incident.
Child questioned about resistance
Johnson asked the child, 'If the punishment don't hurt, why are you fighting it?' when the girl was resisting the belt strikes.
Stepmother blamed child's resistance
Johnson allegedly said the bruises were from the girl attempting to block the belt strikes, according to a radio station report.
Stepmother pleaded not guilty
Johnson appeared in court on Oct. 17 and pleaded not guilty to the abuse charge, being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond.
Next court appearance unknown
It was not immediately clear when Johnson was scheduled to make her next court appearance after pleading not guilty.
The one thing
A 24-year-old stepmother in West Virginia is charged with child abuse after allegedly whipping her 7-year-old stepdaughter with a belt when the girl claimed the punishment didn't hurt.
