Latta woman arrested on child abuse charge

By: Kelly Gillespie | SCNOW
Published: November 14, 2008

DILLON — Dillon County sheriff’s deputies have arrested a woman they say severely burned her 5-year-old stepson by forcing him to take a hot bath.

Dartisha Henson, 23, of 540 Player Court, Latta, is charged with cruelty to children, Chief Deputy Sheriff Douglas “Humbunny” Pernell said.

The child’s father, 57-year-old Billy Avant, of the same address, is charged with accessory after the fact to cruelty to children, Pernell said.

Both turned themselves in late Friday afternoon, Pernell said.

Investigator Buzzy Finklea said the incident happened Nov. 6 at a Latta home. When the boy’s father came home, he heard his son crying, noticed his burns and peeling skin and took to him the Marion County Medical Center. The boy later was airlifted to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga.

The boy suffered second-degree burns on his legs and feet, lower groin area and buttocks. Medical personnel in Augusta alerted investigators to the incident last week, and said the severity of the burns suggests somene held the boy in the water.

The boy told investigators his stepmother put him in the hot water as punishment for wetting the bed, Finklea said.

Henson spoke with both investigators and DSS careworkers soon after the boy was burned and denied causing his injuries.

The warrants were issued for both Henson and Avant after investigators spoke with the boy in Augusta on Thursday, Finklea said.

“Anytime when a child is involved and something happens to a child, we try our best to get on it fast and solve it,” he said.

The boy is recovering, but is in a lot of pain and likely will remain hospitalized for the next few weeks, Finklea said.

Two other children who lived at the home have been placed in the custody of the state Department of Social Services, Finklea said. One of the children reported hearing her brother cry out when the incident took place.

Finklea also said this isn’t the first time deputies, along DSS caseworkers, have investigated child abuse allegations against the suspects.