# 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.
- Title: Stepmom Whips 7-Year-Old Girl with Belt After Child Claims…
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: child abuse, west virginia, stepmother, stepdaughter, child victim, police report, court case, child punishment, crime, news, Stepmom, Whips
- Source: Law & Crime — https://lawandcrime.com/crime/stepmom-ditched-typical-open-palm-to-whip-7-year-old-girl-with-belt-after-child-claimed-punishment-didnt-hurt-cops
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: child abuse, west virginia, stepmother, stepdaughter, child victim, police report, court case, child punishment, crime, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.