Latest news with #AndersonCountySheriff'sDepartment
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Daily Record
Parents charged after 'large rat starts eating six-month-old baby girl' in cot
Akayla and Justin Bearden have been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after a six-month-old girl was found to have been bitten by a large rat. The parents of a baby have been charged after an incident left their six-month-old daughter covered in blood and bite marks, when a large rat reportedly began to attack her. A frantic situation unfolded as officers from the Anderson County Sheriff's Department (ACSD) descended on a property in Belton, western South Carolina, after receiving a distressing call early Friday morning about a rat attacking an infant. "Deputies responded to D and M Drive as soon as [the] mother called 911, finding blood covering the bassinet and the infant," detailed a spokesperson from the sheriff department. "The bite marks span across the baby's arms, back of the head, ears and face." Emergency medical personnel whisked the baby girl off to Greenville Memorial Hospita l, approximately 24 miles northward, concurrently with the investigation launched by law enforcement officers. During their enquiries, it was disclosed that the baby's twin brother also bore bite marks, though on his feet, reports the Mirror. An ACSD representative shared: "The parents admitted to field rats being an ongoing issue inside their single wide home for the last several months, however, they continued to allow their children to live there." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Akayla and Justin Bearden, both aged 24, faced charges of unlawful conduct towards a child following the harrowing event. Child protection services have since assumed custody of the couple's three offspring. The injured infant stays hospitalised while investigations into the grim matter are ongoing. The police have not disclosed whether the girl's twin brother received medical treatment at a hospital or from any medical teams. The age of the third child and whether they were neglected was also not revealed by the police. Both parents are prohibited from contacting their children unless authorised by child protection services. They are due to appear before a judge again on 31 July. Under South Carolina law, unlawful conduct towards a child is considered a felony that can lead to up to 10 years in prison. A person can be found guilty if the prosecution can prove the accused had. According to US Government statistics, there were 14,572 victims of child maltreatment in the state in 2022. This represents a decrease from the 15,308, 18,717 and 19,130 recorded in 2021, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In 2020, a year marked by lockdowns and more people staying at home, 14,263 cases were recorded in the state.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Appellate court upholds 104-year prison sentence for man convicted of raping 8-year-old
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld a 104-year prison sentence for an Anderson County man convicted of raping an 8-year-old girl multiple times over a month-long period in 2019. As reported earlier in The Oak Ridger, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said in February 2023 that a jury convicted then 45-year-old Royce Scott Earley of two counts of rape of a child, two counts on a related charge and a charge of aggravated sexual battery. The convictions came at the end of a three-day trial. Criminal Court Judge Ryan M. Spitzer later sentenced him to 104 years in prison. "During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued for enhanced punishment and consecutive sentencing because of the severity of the convictions, the vulnerability of the minor child, and the defendant's lack of remorse and accountability for his actions," Clark stated in the 2023 news release. Early's appeal of the conviction was denied and the sentence was upheld by the state Court of Criminal Appeals on March 6, according to a news release issued from Clark's office this week. Clark said, 'The most difficult cases are ones that involve vulnerable child victims. We are satisfied that this offender will spend the rest of his life in prison.' The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Emily F. Abbott and Sarah W. Keith. The Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Department of Children's Services, and East Tennessee Children's Hospital all participated in investigating this case. 'We are committed to holding serious offenders accountable and protecting the most vulnerable victims. I am grateful to all those that participated in this investigation and trial to help make justice a reality in this case,' Clark said. During the time of the initial arrest and later court proceedings, Early's address was given as Clinton and later Powell. The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith covers Oak Ridge area news. Email her at dsmith@ and follow her on Twitter@ridgernewsed. Support The Oak Ridger by subscribing. Offers available at This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Court upholds 104-year sentence for man convicted of raping 8-year-old
