Mother Charged with Child Abuse

Whitney Stein, 31, of West Plains, faces two felony charges after a hotline call brought Howell County Sheriff’s Deputy Devon Mendenhall to her residence on State Route ZZ. 

 

Deputy Mendenhall interviewed Stein at her residence on November 5. The mother admitted to “whooping” her seven-year-old son with a belt, but denied beating him. 

 

According to Court documents, the boy had “severe black and blue bruising from the lower back covering the buttocks.”

 

The deputy advised Stein the level of injury the child exhibited was illegal and to have a relative take temporary custody of her children. Stein continued to deny beating her kids, stating, “I only have to whip my kids one time because I do it right the first time.”

 

Stein was charged with one count of abuse or neglect of a child and one count of endangering the welfare of a child on December 2. She was taken into custody and later posted bond in the amount of $5,000 on December 4. 

 

The accused is scheduled for a bond hearing before Judge R. David Ray on December 28.