Holly Springs foster parent charged with child abuse

A Holly Springs foster parent faces felony child abuse charges after allegedly abusing two children in her care.

"This case is one of the more serious ones that I've personally been involved with," said Holly Springs police Det. Sgt. Michel Stone.

Prudence Shivers, 42, is accused of hurting two boys, ages four and six, by inflicting lacerations to their backs, as well as cutting the younger boy’s stomach and the older child’s head and face.

"They appear to be from some sort of whipping action or something like that," Stone said.

Other children living with Shivers at the time of the alleged abuse have been relocated.

"The last I heard, they are doing well, considering the circumstances," Stone said.

Shivers is a research administration manager at the Duke University School of Medicine.

Shivers posted a $60,000 bond Saturday, and as part of her release, is not allowed to have any contact with a child under 16-years-old without supervision.