KEY POINTS

  • The victims were permanently disfigured because of the abuse
  • The abuse began in Nevada and continued even after the family moved to Missouri
  • Catalyn Davis, the victims' mother, has been charged with two counts of child abuse resulting in substantial bodily harm
  • The police are still looking for Jermaine Tatum, their mother's boyfriend

A 27-year-old woman from North Las Vegas has been arrested after the police found her two children permanently disfigured from being beaten and burned.

Cathalyn Davis was arrested last week on charges of two counts of child abuse resulting in substantial bodily harm. The police are still looking for her boyfriend Jermaine Tatum whose warrant has been obtained.

Tatum allegedly beat Davis' 2-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter with belts, phone cords and TV cables, according to the arrest report from the North Las Vegas Police. He is also accused of burning the children with a lighter and a welding torch, causing permanent disfigurement, reported local news outlet Las Vegas Review Journal.

The investigators discovered at least 74 burns, scars and wounds on the girl and more than 35 markings on the boy, nearly covering their entire bodies.

Tatum reportedly assaulted the children even when Davis was present at the home. Davis admitted to the police she had witnessed the assault but was mostly at work during the day.

According to the arrest report, the alleged abuse began in March while the family was in Nevada. It continued even after they moved to Missouri, reported the New York Post.

abuse
Representational image pixabay

An investigator from Missouri contacted North Las Vegas police to discuss the case. "[The official] stated the injuries on [the children] were the worst he has ever seen in 20 years, that he could not stop thinking about it later that night, and that it gave him 'goose bumps,'" a Missouri officer said as per the New York Post.

Davis was released after her hearing on Dec. 9.

In a similar incident of child abuse, the police discovered a severely malnourished child kept in a cage in Missouri last week, reported The Kansas City Star. The child was airlifted to the hospital and was found to have suffered serious injuries consistent with the abuse. Four people have been charged with two counts of first-degree endangerment of the welfare of a child and one count of abuse or neglect of a child.

Every year, more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States. Child abuse is defined as any form of child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse.

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