CLAY COUNTY, W.Va. –A man and woman are in custody in connection to the case of an infant who was allegedly abused and strangled in Clay County.
Jerri Ferrebee (Photo- WCHS-TV)
Troopers arrested Timothy L. Ferrebee, 41, the father of the infant was arrested on Saturday and is charged with child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and strangulation.
Troopers were called to Summersville Regional Medical Center after the biological mother took the baby to the hospital after she had met with her ex-boyfriend’s current girlfriend in a custody exchange. The infant was taken to Ruby Memorial Children’s Hospital in Morgantown so that they could receive emergency care in the pediatric unit. The baby suffered damages to both lungs, air trapped in the thoracic cavity which resulted in major surgery, petechiae and a laceration on the infant’s esophagus which resulted in another surgery. The baby is currently in a medical induced coma at the hospital in Morgantown.
After troopers responded to the hospital, they drove to Ferrebee’s home and immediately detained him.
According to the criminal complaint, Troopers said that Ferrebee initially denied that the bruises were from him, however later Troopers say that he told them that he was alone with the baby and squeezed it in an “attempt to relieve it of built-up feces.”
Ferrebee is charged with child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and strangulation.
In addition to Ferrebee’s arrest on Saturday, troopers arrested, Ferrebee’s ex-wife and current girlfriend Jerri Ferrebee, 36, Monday afternoon, who is a Special Education teacher aid in Clay County schools. She is charged with child neglect resulting in injury and failure to report.
According to an additional criminal complaint, Ms. Ferrebee left the house on Friday for almost 40 minutes, to get a soda and troopers believe that is when the abuse occurred.
After Ms. Ferrebee arrived back home, she changed the baby’s diaper and discovered what she described as busted capillaries in the form of red marks on the infant’s stomach.” She asked Ferrebee where they came from, but she didn’t receive any real answer.
The baby remained in Ms. Ferrebee’s care overnight about eight hours after she discovered the marks on the baby. After that she took the baby to the biological mother.
Ferrebee is currently being held in the Central Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
Ms. Ferrebee is being held on a $55,000 cash-only bond.
Photo: WCHS-TV