Inset: Rebecca Lee Bailey (West Virginia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation). Background: Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO Facebook).
A 40-year-old mother from West Virginia has been taken into custody after being charged with assaulting her 5-year-old daughter at their home. The incident reportedly involved the woman holding her daughter down and forcibly removing several of the child’s teeth.
Rebecca Lee Bailey was taken into custody following the incident and charged with one count of felony child abuse by parent, guardian, custodian, or person in position of trust resulting in bodily injury, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show. According to a news release from the Raleigh Sheriff’s Office, deputies on Thursday responded to a call reporting possible child abuse taking place at a residence in Lester, a southern West Virginia town located around 60 miles southeast of Charleston.
Upon arriving at the address, two deputies made contact with members of the household and began a preliminary investigation into what had occurred.
“Through their investigation, it was determined that the suspect, Rebecca Bailey, had allegedly pinned down her 5-year-old daughter and tried pulling the victim’s teeth out,” the sheriff’s office said in the release. “The suspect did pull out two of the victims bottom front teeth.”
It was not immediately clear how Bailey was able to remove the victim’s teeth or if she used any kind of instrument in the attack. The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Law&Crime requesting additional information on the matter.
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A witness to the attack told authorities that while Bailey was allegedly assaulting her daughter, she could be heard “yelling that the child ‘had a demon in her.'” The witness added that Bailey was “holding a cross” at the time.
Fortunately, another family member who was in the home was awakened by the “disturbance” and was able to quickly intervene before contacting law enforcement. The other family member — who was not identified — remained with the child until the deputies arrived.
Deputies immediately detained Bailey for child abuse and transported to Southern Regional Jail for processing.
Authorities did not speculate about a motive for the attack.
Meanwhile, Child Protective Services and Emergency Medical Services were both dispatched to the residence to “ensure the child received medical attention and was placed in a safe environment.” The 5-year-old was later released into the custody of a “responsible family member,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Sheriff Frank Priddy and Chief Deputy Frankie Shelton would like to thank the brave family member who intervened, as well as Deputies Lilly and Eller for their swift response, thorough investigation, and dedication to protecting the safety and wellbeing of our children,” the office said in a statement.
Court records show that Bailey is currently being held in lieu of $50,000 bond. She is currently scheduled to appear before Judge Greg Tanner at 10 a.m. on June 30 for a preliminary hearing.
