Ky. couple accused of beating 8-year-old girl with metal pipe, putting her hand on hot stove

ASHLAND, Ky. (TCD) — A 31-year-old woman and 27-year-old man were arrested last week for allegedly abusing a young girl who managed to escape to safety.

On Thursday, Jan. 25, Ashland Police Department officers received a call about a possible child abuse situation and found a 9-year-old girl, who had just fled her home, with “apparent visible injuries.” She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

During their investigation, detectives reportedly learned there was a “substantial history of child abuse.” Detectives also conducted a search at the home of Kayla and Austin Frazier and found evidence that allegedly “corroborates facts gathered previously.” They were both arrested for first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12.

According to the Daily Independent, Kayla Frazier is the victim’s mother and Austin Frazier is her stepfather. The girl reportedly told police Kayla and Austin Frazier both struck her with a metal pipe, put her hand on a stove, and hit her in the head with another object. They allegedly threw her out of the house, so she ran down the street for help.

The male neighbor told the Daily Independent the child had a cut on her head and a black eye. His wife said the girl “didn’t hide anything” and was “open about it all.”

Doctors at the hospital reportedly determined she had multiple broken bones in different stages of healing.

According to the Daily Independent, some of the girl’s family members allegedly started “kicking” and “pounding” the neighbor’s door prior to police arriving.

The female neighbor said, “I was almost hyperventilating at that point. I could hear my heart beat, the knocking was so loud. If they weren’t knocking or kicking, they were ringing the doorbell.”

Ashland Police said additional charges are expected against Kayla and Austin Frazier.

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