West Virginia – In a troubling case of child abuse out of West Virginia, a couple is now facing serious criminal charges after authorities said their 9-year-old daughter arrived at school covered in bruises and revealed that both of her parents had violently beaten her using multiple objects. The parents, 52-year-old father identified as Lewis N. and 45-year-old mother identified as Josephine N., were arrested and charged with child abuse resulting in injury and child neglect resulting in injury. The charges stem directly from the disturbing injuries discovered on the child’s face, eyelid, and body, and from statements indicating the parents routinely used physical punishment and confinement as discipline.
Authorities opened the case after school staff noticed fresh bruises on the 9-year-old girl. When they asked what happened, the child explained that her parents had beaten her with a fly swatter, a belt, and a wooden paddle. She told staff that after being struck repeatedly, she “cried really hard,” adding that her father tried to stop her from going to school the next day, but she “wanted to go.” Deputies interviewed both parents, who offered conflicting explanations. Lewis admitted he had “beat the a— off her” but insisted he used only his hands. Josephine claimed her daughter “does this every year school starts,” minimizing the allegations and suggesting the child was lying — even though investigators later located every object the girl described inside the home.
The couple was also accused of isolating the child by locking her in her bedroom. When questioned, the parents told investigators they locked the room whenever they “went out to smoke,” alleging the girl had previously tried to retrieve a cellphone from their room and call 911. Deputies later found a wooden block with screws and a locking mechanism that lined up with holes drilled into the child’s bedroom door, contradicting the parents’ explanation and suggesting deliberate confinement. The case unfolded when the girl bravely showed up at school with visible injuries, including a pronounced bruise on her eyelid. She told staff the bruise came from being struck in the face with the metal flyswatter. Alarmed school officials immediately notified the sheriff’s office, whose deputies responded quickly.
Investigators interviewed the child, photographed her injuries, and obtained a warrant to search the couple’s home. Inside, deputies found the exact flyswatter, belt, and wooden paddle the girl had described. They also discovered the locking device used to keep her confined to her room while her parents went outside or left the home entirely. With the physical evidence, the girl’s statements, and the parents’ admissions, deputies took both Lewis and Josephine into custody. Emergency services ensured the child’s safety, and she was removed from the home pending further protective placement.
Both Lewis and Josephine were booked into the regional jail. Court records show Lewis’ bail set at $100,000 and Josephine’s at $50,000, amounts reflecting the seriousness of the charges and the danger investigators believe they pose to their child. The next steps will include additional hearings, continued child‑protection involvement, and potential plea negotiations or trial. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, but the charges already filed — child abuse resulting in injury and child neglect resulting in injury — carry potentially severe penalties under West Virginia law.
What stands out most from the girl’s account is her resilience. Despite her father’s attempt to keep her home the next day, she insisted on attending school — the decision that ultimately exposed the abuse. She told investigators she “cried really hard” when she was hit, but she still walked through the school doors, unknowingly beginning the process that led to her parents’ arrests and her own protection. For now, both parents remain behind bars, and the community waits for the court to determine their fate, while the young girl begins the long process of recovering from the physical and emotional wounds inflicted inside her own home.
