North Carolina Parents Arrested After Baby Found with Cigarette Burns and Bite Marks: Cops

A couple in North Carolina has been arrested after law enforcement officials said family members requested a welfare check on their 10-month-old baby and authorities found “bruising and other unexplained markings” on the infant’s body.

According to the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, detectives launched an investigation on July 23 and found “several bruises and injuries” on the child.

The baby was taken to Iredell Memorial Hospital, where medical staff said “the injuries were consistent with physical abuse,” the sheriff's office said.

The child was then transferred to Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem for further treatment.

Investigators said they collected evidence from the hospitals and conducted multiple interviews with family members and witnesses.

Medical experts “determined the injuries to the child were caused by intentional physical abuse and some of the injuries were consistent with cigarette lighter burns and bite marks,” the sheriff’s office said.

As a result, 29-year-old Martavious Levar Smith and 31-year-old Shalisa Monai Lowe were arrested on July 27 and charged with intentionally causing serious bodily injury to a child.

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Both were booked into jail, Smith on a $100,000 bond, and Lowe on an $80,000 bond.

The investigation is ongoing.