Corbin Police Officer Calls Child Abuse Case One Of The Worst He's Ever Seen

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Corbin Police Officer Calls Child Abuse Case One Of The Worst He's Ever Seen

By: Jermont Terry Email

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Accused Child Abuser Speaks

A Corbin couple sits in jail charged with child abuse.
A four-year-old remains in state custody after police say a spanking went too far.
Corbin police took Rosa Johnson and her boyfriend Mark Rutherford into custody Wednesday night.
Police charged the pair with one count of criminal abuse each.
Police say Rutherford beat Johnson's four- year-old daughter repeatedly inside their Corbin home on Willowbrook. When the couple took the child to daycare, police say workers called police.
"It's one of the most severe as far as bruising that I've seen to a child," said Detective Tim Helton.
Helton said the toddler had discoloration and bruises on her thigh and bottom from the beating.
When asked by reporters if he abused the girl Rutherford replied, "I loved the child dearly."
Rutherford told the judge he's not guilty. It's the same story he told us before heading to jail.
" I spanked her..she just got a spanked a little too hard. I did not abuse her what so ever. It's completely wrong she got a whipping a little too hard and left a few bruises," he said.
Police say the beating started when the child spilled apple juice on a couch.