Local News

Video depicting child abuse sparks outrage

The Person County Department of Social Services Director says his office got about 20 calls from concerned citizens, who saw a video showing someone hitting a child.

Posted Updated

By
Sarah Krueger
, WRAL Durham reporter
ROXBORO, N.C. — The Person County Department of Social Services Director says his office got about 20 calls from concerned citizens, who saw a video showing someone hitting a child.

DSS Director Carlton Paylor says that in the last few months, they've seen an increase in the number of child abuse cases.

"Things have been very busy," he explained. "I think with the pandemic going on and people having a lot of issues they’re dealing with themselves

Jermaine Wallace says he knows the woman in the video. He says she is from Roxboro. He is one of the people who called authorities to report her.

"To watch this helpless child cry and scream and be abused for something he had no control over.. .he was put in a situation that he didn’t ask for," he said.

Person County Sheriff Dewey Jones says the mother was arrested in Durham on outstanding warrants in other cases -- for probation violation, and failure to appear.

She is in the Person County jail on a bond of $276,800.

Sheriff Jones says she has not yet been charged with anything related to the video, and those charges would likely come out of Durham, where they believe the video was taken.

Officials say if you see a video online showing child abuse, you should report it to Social Services, if it's during business hours and otherwise and to the Sheriff's Office if it is outside of business hours.

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