Police arrested an Erwin woman Tuesday night on an indictment alleging the woman and a man abused or neglected an infant to the point the child’s health and welfare was adversely affected.
Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Breaonna Greenwell, 21, of 142 Madison Street, Erwin, shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday on an indictment charging her with aggravated child abuse or neglected.
In July of 2015, CCSO officers arrested Greenwell’s co-defendant 20-year-old Aaron Thomas, of 1106 Lark St., Johnson City, on an indictment also charging him with aggravated child abuse or neglect.
The charges against Greenwell and Thomas stem from an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office into a possible case of child abuse or neglect.
CCSO Chief Investigator Randy Bowers presented the findings of that investigation to a Carter County Grand Jury in July of last year and the Grand Jury returned the indictments against Greenwell and Thomas.
The indictment alleges that during a period of time beginning in Sept. 2014 and continuing through October 24, 2014, Greenwell and Thomas abused or neglected the infant, which was approximately 4 months old at the time, to the point the child’s health and welfare were adversely affected “and the act of abuse or neglect was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel or involved the infliction of torture to the victim.”
Under state law, aggravated child abuse and neglect is considered a “Class A” felony.
Greenwell is currently being held at the Carter County Detention Center under a $50,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in Criminal Court on March 28.
Thomas is also being held in the Detention Center under a $50,000 bond. He was arraigned in Criminal Court on July 16, where Judge Lisa Rice appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent him. He is scheduled to return to Criminal Court on March 2.