2 charged in abuse of 16-week-old infant in Scotland County

Zachary Crabtree (left) and Beth Backus (right) (SCSO)

SCOTLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WPDE) — Beth Backus, 23, and Zachary Crabtree, 24, are charged in connection with the abuse of a 16-week-old infant, according to the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office.

Backus is charged with two counts of felony child abuse, inflicting serious bodily injury and felony child abuse by negligence, resulting in serious bodily injury.

Crabtree is charged with felony child abuse by negligence, resulting in serious bodily injury.

Deputies said the charges stem from a report filed on May 26 of a “reported unconscious/unresponsive infant child, who was brought in to the Scotland Memorial Hospital.”

Officers said medical staff reported the child allegedly had severe injuries to the head, and other internal medical factors consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).

The child was airlifted to a special children’s hospital where he received continued intensive care.

The infant child was “confirmed to allegedly have ongoing serious bodily injuries, which were reported as being multiple internal injuries to the brain, in conjunction with other injuries to the infant’s body both internal and external. The infant was reportedly 16 weeks old at the time he was seen at the hospital. ”

Deputies said they conducted their investigation, and the criminal investigative unit determined that Backus was allegedly the approximate cause of the ongoing abuse. The sheriff’s office said deputies arrested Crabtree for reported alleged negligence.

Backus received a secured, $500,000 bond, and Crabtree received a secured, $250,000 bond.

Backus and Crabtree are scheduled to be in court, Monday.