KNOX COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Two people were arrested on child abuse and neglect charges on Wednesday night after a parent took their child to the hospital and accused the other parents of abuse.
According to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of alleged child abuse, stating, “Deputies had been notified by Lawrenceville Illinois Police Department that a 17-month-old child had been seen in their emergency room (ER) presenting with obvious signs of abuse and neglect.”
The child’s biological father had taken the child to the local emergency room after picking the child up from the biological mother’s home in the 1900 block of Ballard Drive in Vincennes.
When deputies arrived, the mother, Samantha Rutledge, and her partner Juan Garcia were questioned by police about the abuse and both denied any involvement with the child’s injuries.
As the investigation continued, officers arrested Rutledge and Garcia at the scene on the following charges:
- Neglect of a Dependent/Child Abuse | Level 5 Felony
- Domestic Battery on a Child Less than 14 years of age | Level 5 Felony
Both Rutledge and Garcia were taken to the Knox County Jail. The child was placed with the biological father by Child Protective Services for the remainder of the investigation.
