An elderly woman of 72 years of age is facing charges of homicide in relation to the death of her 8-year-old granddaughter.
At approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, authorities were made aware of a young person who had been taken to the emergency room with serious injuries. Upon arriving at Nash UNC Healthcare in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the child was declared dead.
The Nash County Sheriff’s Office dispatched deputies and detectives to the hospital instantly to investigate the reason behind the young girl’s demise.
Investigations revealed the victim was residing with her grandmother and several siblings in the 5000 block of Dutchman Road in Nashville, North Carolina.
In a Facebook post, The Nash Count Sherriff’s Office stated, “Based on the investigation, it was determined that the 8-year-old juvenile was beaten so severe by the Grandmother that she died from the injuries.”
They continued the post by describing the child’s state after the beating, saying that “the child had severe injuries throughout her entire body and head.”
Patricia Ann Ricks, the grandmother in question, was apprehended and brought to the Nash County Sheriff’s Office. Ricks refused to provide a response when asked about the incident.
Ricks has been accused of First Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse with Serious Injury, and is currently being held at the Nash County Detention Center with no chance of bail. Her first court hearing is slated for Thursday in Nash County District Court.
The reason for the fatal assault of the 8-year-old girl is still unclear. The remaining siblings are now in the guardianship of the Nash County Department of Social Services, and the investigation is still ongoing.