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WRAL Investigation finds grandmother accused of murdering granddaughter was reported for child abuse months earlier

A WRAL investigation has now found that social services was called to the girl's elementary school back in December, after staff reported the girl had been brutally beaten. WRAL News is now pressing the county to explain why the girl wasn't taken from her grandmother at the first sign of abuse.

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By
Keenan Willard
, WRAL Eastern NC reporter
NASHVILLE, N.C. — A Nash County grandmother accused of murdering her 8-year-old granddaughter earlier this week appeared in court for the first time on Thursday.

Patricia Ann Ricks, 72, of Nashville, North Carolina, is charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse.

On Tuesday, the Nash County Sheriff's Office says Ricks beat the little girl to death with multiple items in the home used as weapons in the abuse.

Granddaughter was left in custody despite recent reports of abuse

A WRAL investigation has now found that social services was called to the girl's elementary school back in December, after staff reported the girl had been brutally beaten. WRAL News is now pressing the county to explain why the girl wasn't taken from her grandmother at the first sign of abuse.

A staff member at Cooper's Elementary School says Christal Lane came to school beaten so badly she was almost unrecognizable. They say social services didn't protect Lane. The staff member said Lane claimed she had been beaten for refusing to put lotion on her skin.

Nash County Schools say DSS investigators came to campus the day of the report and were in contact with the school all week.

The district also says a caseworker was assigned who visited Lane and the school multiple times, with investigators discussing this case with administrators throughout the month of January. Through it all, Lane and her four siblings remained in their grandmother's custody.

WRAL News asked Nash County DSS for a copy of the complaint filed by the school. We also asked what they found in their investigation into the reported abuse, and why Lane and her siblings were allowed to remain in Ricks's custody after the school's report.

In a statement, the department says they're currently conducting their own investigation into this incident, and when that's complete, they may be able to share more information.

Ricks appears in court for the first time

Ricks was taken into the Nash County court in a wheelchair.

When a judge asked if she understood the charges against her, Ricks said yes. However, as the judge explained she could face the death penalty if convicted, Ricks seemed to zone out, not giving an answer when asked if she had an attorney or wanted a public defender.

The state is set to show their evidence against Ricks in court in two weeks.

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