MORGANTON, N.C. — A Morganton couple was charged Friday after severe injuries were found on a 7-week-old child.
Deputies said they were alerted about the injuries by the Department of Social Services after the couple had taken the baby to the doctor for a check-up.
https://twitter.com/FahertyWSOC9/status/667746160489185280
Benjamin and Krystal Houk are locked up under a $100,000 bond and charged with felony intentional child abuse.
According to court documents, the baby had 11 broken ribs and a broken arm, and someone had bitten the baby's left cheek.
The arrest warrants said in late October, when the baby was just four weeks old, Houk assaulted her daughter to the point she had 11 broken ribs. Her husband, Benjamin Houk, was accused of a second assault earlier this week that left the baby with a broken right arm.
He is also accused of biting the infant's left cheek that left significant bruising.
Channel 9 spoke with several neighbors who had no idea the couple even had a baby.
No one answered at the Morganton address listed on the arrest warrant.
Read more top trending stories at wsoctv.com:
- 5 teens charged in connection to violent sexual assault
- Veteran says he was attacked, shamed at Charlotte airport
- VIDEO: Fight caught on camera inside Charlotte school
- Fraud, squatting frequently linked to 'Moorish' religion followers
- Convicted spy released from NC federal prison after 30 years
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SNLWZBPQR5E3PDESM2GSZKRN3Y.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XTUE37ZYUZFVLLSD7JZ5S2L4WI.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/4Y6YC6UVLBALDDAJ7PXHAG7MZ4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7Q5BX2HUBJCAPGITKIWORE3SZE.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/TKAXLZUBV5DTFIV63EG2OH6OVQ.jpg)