Karyn S. Parrish (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
A 28-year-old mother in Florida is accused of physically and mentally abusing her young child, even directing and encouraging one of the victim’s siblings to repeatedly whip the child “hard” with a belt. Karyn S. Parrish was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with one count of felony child abuse in connection with the alleged attacks on the child.
The victim’s gender was not revealed by authorities, and their age was only specified as being “under the age of five.”
According to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and investigators from the Department of Child and Family Services responded to a call at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday requesting a welfare check at a residence located in the Preserve at Sabal Park Apartments in Seffner, Florida, about 10 miles east of Tampa. It was unclear who placed the initial 911 call requesting the welfare check.
Once there, deputies encountered the young victim, who they said “exhibited signs of distress” such as “shaking and crying.” Deputies observed that the child had recently received a new haircut and had a bruise on their cheek nearly two inches in size. When asked what caused the injury, the child allegedly indicated that Parrish was responsible.
“Maybe my mom. Maybe she was slapping me around,” the child said, per the affidavit. “She doesn’t remember,” adding that her mother often “tells her she doesn’t remember things.’”
Investigators said that Parrish later admitted that she had slapped the child at least three times using the palm of her right hand.
During a search of Parrish’s cellphone, investigators said they uncovered several harrowing videos demonstrating the suspect’s disregard for the child’s physical and mental well-being.
“Detectives discovered videos on Parrish’s phone in which she directed one of her children to strike their sibling (the victim) with a belt,” the affidavit states. “In one of the recordings, Parrish can be heard laughing and saying, ‘Hit harder. Hit hard, baby. Beat the crap out of the sly devil.’”
A probable cause affidavit states that a second video from the phone allegedly showed Parrish “cutting the victim’s hair while verbally taunting the victim by stating (the victim) is going to be ‘tortured’ for eight hours. Parrish could also be heard telling that victim that “if they die, so be it,” the news release stated.
It was not immediately clear how many children lived in Parrish’s home, but authorities said the juveniles were removed and placed in the care of a relative.
Parrish was transported to Orient Road Jail without incident. Online jail records show that as of Friday afternoon, Parrish remained in detention at the Falkenburg Road Jail on bond of $7,500.
Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge Catherine M. Catlin ordered that if Parrish is released, she is to have no contact with the victim or any other minor, including her other children.
“It is absolutely gut-wrenching and incomprehensible to have a case like this, where a mother would inflict such horrifying treatment on her own children,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “My heart aches for these two young and innocent children.”
