In Colbert County, a malnourished nine-year-old child was discovered by investigators at the North Alabama Medical Center, leading to the arrest of his mother and stepfather.
Deputies and investigators were summoned to the medical center on June 17 in response to a potential case of child abuse, according to the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Upon their arrival, the CCSO reported that the boy was “severely malnourished” and weighed 37 pounds. The child’s origin was also determined by the sheriff’s office to be Colbert Alloys, a camping area where the family had been residing in a tent for the past few weeks.
The boy also had injuries on his body and blood oozing from his ear, as well as maggots protruding from various parts of his body.
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Authorities stated that they discovered the mother, Deja-Ariaha Geraldine Bankhead, and stepfather, Demariez Lavonski Mitchell, were present at the hospital with two younger children, the youngest of whom was three months old, during the investigation.
“The children were taken into custody by the Colbert County Department of Human Resources, which was informed and provided assistance in the investigation,” stated the WHNT. The sheriff’s office further stated that the 9-year-old boy was transported to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham for additional treatment and evaluation due to the severity of his condition.
Investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for the campsite and locate the shelters in which the family had been residing for the past two weeks. On June 18, investigators served warrants on Bankhead and Mitchell, who were subsequently detained and charged with aggravated child abuse.
At present, they are being detained in the Colbert County Jail instead of a $50,000 bond.