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Alexander County caregiver charged after alleged injury to toddler at Bethlehem center
Holly Payne, 36, is accused of grabbing a 2-year-old boy hard enough to bruise his arm and flipping him onto a cot during nap time. She was charged with assault on a child under 12 and is due in court Nov. 23.
A 36-year-old woman has been charged in connection with an alleged assault on a 2-year-old boy at the Mt. Bethel Methodist Church Child Development Center in Bethlehem, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office said.
An arrest warrant alleges that Holly Payne grabbed the child’s arm with enough force to leave a bruise and flipped him onto a cot during nap time. Payne worked at the center, according to the sheriff’s office. It was not clear whether she remained employed there.
Deputies said they received a report of alleged child abuse Oct. 10. Payne was charged Oct. 21 with assault on a child under 12. She was taken to the Alexander County Detention Center and held on a $10,000 secured bond, then released after posting bond, authorities said.
Her first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 23. The church had not responded to a request for comment at the time of the report. The allegations have not been tested in court.