BEDFORD – A Bedford woman was arrested Tuesday on a warrant on charges of battery resulting in bodily injury to a child under the age of 14, and neglect of a dependent.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on March 26, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called to meet an investigator from the Department of Child Services in the parking lot of Speedway. The investigator told the officer he had responded to Hatfield Elementary School after a report of a 6-year-old boy’s mother had grabbed him by the neck and left a large bruise. The investigator had photos of the large bruise.
Officers went to the home of 25-year-old Haylee Lagle, to speak to her and her children.
The officer noted it took Lagel several minutes to bring the children to the porch to talk to the officer.
The child told the officer he had been injured by a Nerf gun hitting him.
The CPS investigator has set up an appointment for the child to be taken to a physician for a physical evaluation. Lagel told officers the child was fine and didn’t need to see a doctor.
Lagle then told officers she would get it done and went back into the house.
Both police and the investigator believe the injury was not caused by a Nerf gun and believed the injury was from the result of “some deep digging in with a grasp”.
During the forensic interview at Suzie’s Place, a child advocacy center, the boy said Lagle had grabbed his neck” and squeezed him so hard” because she was mad at him, but it was accidental.
He said Lagle had apologized for doing it.
The boy said Lagle was mad because his little sister had squeezed a YooHoo drink spilling it.
The boy told the investigator that Lagle had told him not to tell anyone because he would get in trouble and get a “butt-whipping”, but he had told his teacher when she asked about the bruise.
The boy then said “You won’t tell my mom?”
The information was sent to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s office and a warrant was issued for Lagle’s arrest.
