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Couple Charged with Child Abuse-Erika Lathon
A Coffee County couple faces charges after their newborn is hospitalized with broken arms and legs.
The baby girl is critical, but stable at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
Neighbors and relatives are in shock over the allegations.
Like a proud Uncle, Billy Jacobs shows off photographs of h is newborn niece Lakayah, and insists his sister is a good mother.
Billy Jacobs says,"I think it's all a misunderstanding. My sister would never hurt a baby. She loved her baby."
But Patricia Wilhoite and her boyfriend Michael Colvin are accused of breaking both their daughter's arms and legs.
Sheriff Steve Graves says, "It's sort of sickening, you don't expect to see a 7 week old baby with four major broken bones."
Originally the infant was treated at United Regional Medical Center for what relatives thought was a spider bite.
Officials say it turned out to be swelling from one of the broken legs.
Sheriff Graves says the couple has now admitted to arguing over the child, Wilhoite allegedly pulled the infant by the arms, while Colvin pulled at the child's legs.
Sheriff Graves says,"She has admitted to basically pulling the child up by the arms and hurting the child."
Neighbors at Alexander's mobile home park say the couple appeared to be proud parents.
Neighbor Amanda Auberry says, "I seen the baby and thought she was adorable. They acted like they really loved her. I didn't think that would ever happen."
Investigators say the infant's legs and arms are in splints, and her parents are charged with aggravated child abuse, something relatives still find hard to believe.
Billy Jacobs says, "I know she was a good mother. I know for a fact she would never, ever hurt a baby."Couple Charged with Child Abuse-Erika Lathon
Posted: Friday, February 5 2010, 08:17 PM CST
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