Kentucky – In a shocking case in Kentucky, a 27-year-old father, identified as Nicholas S.; a 25-year-old mother, identified as Shelby K.; and a 49-year-old grandmother, identified as Yvonne S., have been arrested and charged in connection with severe physical abuse that left a 1‑year‑old and a 2‑year‑old with life‑threatening injuries. Authorities say the siblings suffered skull fractures, broken ribs, liver damage, severe bruising, and other signs of prolonged trauma and neglect.
The children’s grandmother, Yvonne, was recently charged with complicity assault‑domestic violence, complicity criminal abuse of a child 12 or under, complicity wanton endangerment, and complicity endangering the welfare of a minor. She was booked into jail and is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.
The father, Nicholas, and the children’s mother, Shelby, were arrested a day earlier and charged with two counts each of assault‑domestic violence, criminal abuse of a child 12 or under, wanton endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a minor. Nicholas also faces additional accusations, including possession of methamphetamine and promoting contraband, after officers reportedly found suspected meth on his person during a jail search, though he claimed it was rock salt used for roads. A police K‑9 indicated the substance was drugs. Both Nicholas and Shelby are being held on $500,000 full cash bonds. All three defendants have pled not guilty and are scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 26.
The investigation began on January 15, when a 2‑year‑old child was brought to a hospital in full cardiac arrest. According to police, the child was taken to the hospital by private means and 911 was never called by the caregivers. Hospital staff found the child in critical condition with a long list of severe injuries, including an occipital skull fracture, several missing teeth, two posterior rib fractures believed to be at least two weeks old, extensive bruising, severe anemia from blood loss, liver damage, elevated CK and lipase, and signs of muscle and possible pancreas injury. The child was also found to be extremely underweight and emaciated.
Medical staff notified police, who then went to the family home to check on other children. Once there, detectives found a 1‑year‑old sibling lying on a bed in the master bedroom with “obvious signs of trauma.” Emergency medical services were called, and the child was transported to a hospital. The younger sibling’s injuries included three possible skull fractures, a possible jawbone fracture, severe anemia from blood loss into the head, belly, and soft tissue, liver damage, lacerations above both eyes, at least one missing tooth and trauma to the nose. The child was also severely underweight.
According to court records, during an interview with police, Yvonne acknowledged seeing injuries on the younger sibling but did not call 911 or seek medical care, even though she observed the harm. Police say that Nicholas and Shelby told investigators they were the only people who had custody of the children and that no one else had been around them at the time their injuries occurred. That assertion places responsibility squarely on the parents and grandmother for the harm inflicted on the siblings.
Police Chief P. Humphrey condemned the case in stark terms. He described the alleged mistreatment at the hands of the caregivers as “the lowest of the low.” The sheer severity and multiplicity of injuries—including multiple skull fractures, rib fractures, liver damage, and severe anemia—paint a disturbing picture of prolonged abuse and neglect. Both children had suffered trauma over a period of time, and medical staff told police the pattern of injuries was inconsistent with accidental harm.
At their recent arraignments, all three defendants entered not guilty pleas and were remanded to jail with high bond amounts set. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 26, where a judge will review evidence and determine whether the case should proceed to trial. As the community grapples with the haunting details of this case, authorities continue to investigate the full extent of what happened to these young children and whether any outside parties may have known about the abuse before it was uncovered. For now, a grandmother and both parents face serious charges in a case that has drawn widespread condemnation and raised urgent questions about child safety and protection.
