Bond Denied for Kershaw Co. Couple Accused of Abusing 4 Yr. Old Child
(WOLO) LUGOFF, S.C.– “When I initially saw her pictures, I thought I was looking at a dead person,” says Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews. 24 year old Catherine Ammons and her 27 year old live-in boyfriend, James Watson have been charged with illegal neglect of a child and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, after police say they abused Ammons’ 4 year old daughter. “Black and blue around her throat on her face on her torso, on her legs,” says Sheriff Matthews. Sheriff Matthews is calling the case horrific. “She had suffered hair loss, found out later is was partly from malnutrition and partly because it was yanked from her head,” says Sheriff Matthews. This all came to light over the weekend when her care givers took her to the hospital and nurses found her injuries. “She had a broken leg, her elbow was today separated from her arm. Lower arm was totally separated from her upper arm because the elbow wasn’t attached,” says Sheriff Matthews. Sheriff Matthews says nurses were told the child fell from a porch. “They told her what to tell hospital officials if they questioned her about her injuries,” says Sheriff Matthews. “The child was never outside in the warm weather that we had,” says Melita Horton, a next door neighbor. “My daughter was on Spring Break with some friends on my front porch and she heard the child being hit and screamed and begging to stop hitting her,” says Horton. Horton says she called police. “Since I didn’t come out and confront them the officer got back into his car and left,” says Horton. She also says officers have since told her, that incident is being investigated. Watson and Ammons remain behind bars tonight. If convicted they could both face up to 35 years in prison. “This is horrific what they did and what the mother allowed to be done to her little girl is inexcusable,” says Sheriff Matthews. Officials say the child is currently in ICU at a local hospital being treated for her injuries, she has also been placed in the custody of DSS.
