The Christian County Grand Jury on Friday indicted two Hopkinsville women in separate child abuse cases.
A true bill was returned on 27-year old Ashalaya Busby on one count of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under.
Busby was arrested by Hopkinsville Police on March 9th after an investigation when medical staff found several bruises all over the body of a child during an examination. According to police, the child stated that Busby along with a man used a belt to discipline her between January 25th and January 26th.
Busby remains lodged in the Christian County Jail.
The grand jury also indicted 23-year old Shantarria Norris on one count of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under.
Hopkinsville Police arrested Norris after they were called to a home on February 7th for a 4-year old that was unresponsive. Norris and the child’s stepfather reportedly told officers that they thought the child had drunk from the toilet.
Police reported the child was taken to Jennie Stuart Health and then flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville where the medical staff confirmed the child was severely dehydrated, malnourished, and had to be intubated. In addition, police said bruises were found around the torso, neck, and leg of the child.
Norris was taken into custody along with the step-father and booked into the Christian County Jail.
