A woman is accused of hitting her 5-year-old granddaughter with a belt.
Over the weekend Jackson County prosecutors charged Renita Triplett, 42, with one count of child abuse.
According to court records, the 5-year-old girl was seen at Children’s Mercy Hospital on Sept. 23, 2016 for an eye injury. Doctors observed the girl’s eye was red, swollen and watery. She underwent surgery for the injury five days later.
On Oct. 27, 2016, an investigator with the Missouri Children's Division responded to KCPD’s Central Patrol Division and reported that the girl had been struck in the eye with a belt by Triplett, court documents show.
The following month, the girl told investigators that Triplett, who she calls "Grandma Nita," hit her in the eye by accident. The girl then said that it wasn't an accident and that Triplett was giving her a "whoopin" for not going to bed when she was told. The probable cause statement shows the girl told investigators that her mother told her to say it was an accident or she would be taken away from her mother and Triplett would go to jail.
Police arrested Triplett Saturday.
Triplett told detectives she already provided a statement to Children's Division and was told "this was already over with,” according to court documents.
Triplett’s bond is set for $20,000.
