Fayetteville mom charged with burning child with iron

Fayetteville, N.C. — Cumberland County sheriff's officials arrested a Fayetteville mother on Saturday and charged her with burning her 11-year-old daughter with an iron.

Nia Michelle Brooks, 33, of 113-D Vineland Drive, was placed in the Cumberland County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond.

Investigators say Brooks burned her daughter with a hot iron on both her arms, the top left thigh and on her right leg near the kneecap. The child said it happened because she wasn’t ironing her Easter dress the way her mother wanted.

The child is mildly retarded, has no field of vision in her right eye and only 30 percent field of vision in her left eye, according to sheriff's officials.

A teacher reported the injuries after seeing scars on the girl's arm when she rolled up her sleeves while playing outside at school. The girl wore a coat to school with temperatures in the 80- to 90-degree range to hide her injuries, officials said.

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services investigated the teacher’s concerns of abuse. The case was turned over to sheriff’s detectives who charged Brooks with maiming, aggravated assault on a handicapped person, felony child abuse and assault inflicting serious injury.

Brooks was scheduled to make a first court appearance on those charges in a District Courtroom on Monday.

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Dang-what is she going to do with the extra $800 (about) she get for having a daughter with a disability? That's the first thing my parents worry about along with any other monies they feel they are entilted to. Seriously though-I hope the young girl is in a safe environment where she is loved and the mother faces a long time in jail and a longer time away from her daughter

kal
June 1, 2009 7:15 p.m.

Unbelievable.. not sure how any woman who calls herself a mother can do this to this poor child.

lorivalentine1
June 1, 2009 7:04 p.m.

I bet if this woman just touched an iron for a split second she'd feel awfully stupid. I know I have just grazed an Iron that was OFF and I thought I'd burn a hole in my arm. Perhaps it's the mother with the problems. the poor girl knew enough to wear a jacket to cover her wounds so her mother didnt get in trouble. that's sad.

FoxtrotUniformCharlieKiloakaCALM
June 1, 2009 5:40 p.m.

Cycle of abuse. I don't agree with this as an excuse for anyone to do something this horrible. She knew better. My daughter and her husband already had three children, now they have taken in a 4 & 5 yr. old brother & sister. They have had them a year now. They came from an abused home and were so skiddish and jumpy. Now, they act like normal, healthy kids. With any luck, they will be able to adopt them soon.

jcrocker60
June 1, 2009 5:25 p.m.

I agree with everyone else on here...I declare I wish we had an "eye for an eye" system here. It certainly would stop all of this child abuse that takes on in this country. Try picking on someone your own size, woman! I bet you wouldn't last five minutes in a room with someone like yourself!

DeannaU
June 1, 2009 5:01 p.m.