SC couple arrested after police say they beat child with electrical cords

Darlington, S.C. (WPDE) — A Darlington couple has been arrested on multiple counts of child neglect after police say they beat a child with electrical cords and other objects, leaving the child “permanently disfigured,” said Lt. Robby Kilgo with the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.

James Charlie Hawkins, 41, has been charged with five counts of unlawful neglect of a child and one count of inflicting great bodily injury upon a child and Ida Gregg, 22, has been charged with five counts of unlawful neglect of a child and one count of allowing a person to inflict great bodily harm upon a child, according to a news release.

WPDE reports investigators allege that between April and July of this year “Hawkins did inflict great bodily injury upon a child by striking the child with electrical cords and other objects leaving the child permanently disfigured. Investigators also allege that other children in the residence were placed at unreasonable risk by the couple,” the release said.