Tempe mom accused of punching, hitting sons with belt faces child abuse charges
A Tempe mother is accused of child abuse for allegedly punching her two young sons in the back and hitting them with a belt.
Posted — UpdatedCasha Shonteya Cotton, 24, was arrested Monday on two felony charges of reckless child abuse.
Tempe police say Cotton admitted that she "used a belt and a closed fist to spank and hit" her two sons "as discipline," according to court paperwork. The discipline was due to a broken window.
The alleged abuse happened at the family's Tempe apartment.
The incident came to light when Cotton dropped off her children at the babysitter's house Monday, and the sitter "discovered the two children had multiple bruises and welts on their backs, legs and arms," according to court paperwork.
The sitter then called the police.
Court paperwork states that Cotton "admitted that while heavily intoxicated she struck each child 4-5 times on the legs with a leather belt and then used a closed fist to punch each child in the back three to four times due to the children breaking a window."
DCS removed the children from the home on Monday.
Cotton was booked into the Tempe Jail. She is due back in court August 8.
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