SANDUSKY, Ohio — A mother has been arrested and charged after workers at a day care center in Sandusky found bruises on her 4-year-old child.
Loryn Smith, 21, was arrested after daycare workers at Kiddie Korral noticed her 4-year-old son had visible injuries on his body, according Sandusky police.
On Wednesday, after the boy arrived at the daycare center, staff members noticed he had two visible bruises on his left arm. When asked where the bruises came from, the boy told staff they came from his mother, police said.
The boy told daycare staff that Smith had struck him multiple times with a belt and a shoe and asked for an ice pack for his injuries. The workers then took the boy into a private room and asked him where he was in pain. He showed them bruises, scratches, swelling and several superficial lacerations on his legs and arms, according to police.
Staff at Kiddie Korral then contacted Erie County Children's Services.
After further investigation into the boy’s injuries, bruises, welts and superficial lacerations were found on his legs, buttocks and lower back. Purple and red bruises were found on the boy's thigh, hip and inner groin. The boy told Children's Services that he had been hit “a lot” by Smith and that she has told him to “stop being bad,” according to police.
Children's Services staff told daycare workers the boy would not be released to Smith and he was transported to a nearby hospital due to the pain he was in.
After locating Smith, she told police that she did hit her son but that it was disciplinary.
Smith was arrested and charged with endangering children, felonious assault and domestic violence.
Police transported Smith to the Erie County Jail where she is currently being held.
