Group protests against woman connected to child abuse case

MONROE, N.C. — The mother of an 11-year-old boy who was handcuffed to a porch with a dead chicken around his neck spoke to Channel 9 Saturday.

The protest came after one of the two people sentenced in the case prepares to be released from jail.

"I really don't understand really," said Lisa Hickmon a protestor.

Nearly three dozen protesters gathered outside the Union County Courthouse Saturday.  Among them was Maria, the mother of the boy who was abused in Wanda Larson's home. Maria asked not to be fully identified or shown on camera.

I'm severely depressed. This (has) hit me hard," Maria said.

She said the Department of Social Services took her son, Michael, in 2006. She said he was placed with Larson. Maria said Michael confided to her that he was being abused by Larson's live-in boyfriend, Dorian Harper.

"She knew. My son told me and I told her.  He said Dorian was beating him, so she cannot say she did not know," Maria said. 

Maria also said Larson denied it at the time. 

A few weeks ago in court, Harper admitted to beating, burning and cutting the boy. Harper was sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison.

Larson, a former DSS supervisor admitted to turning a blind eye to abuse.  She accepted a plea deal of just six to 17 months, but will be released Wednesday because of time she has already served since her arrest in 2013.

Many protestors said Larson's case should have gone to trial and the boy should have had a chance to testify.

"I wanted to speak to the judge to let her know how my son is still suffering because of her," Maria said.

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