Fairdale Woman Charged with Felony Child Abuse
FAIRDALE, N.D. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Cavalier County woman is facing a felony child abuse charge after allegedly striking her child with a fly swatter, leaving visible welts on their body.
According to the Cavalier County Sheriff’s Office, Robyn Foley was arrested on October 18 following an investigation that began when her adult son contacted authorities to report possible abuse. He provided photos showing injuries to his younger sibling’s arms and back.
Deputies responded to the home in Fairdale and interviewed the children. The alleged victim showed officers fresh welts on their arms, which investigators said were consistent with being struck by the metal portion of a fly swatter. The child told deputies the incident occurred after being told to clean their room and stated it wasn’t the first time they had been hit. The child also claimed that Foley often called them derogatory names.
When questioned, Foley initially denied the allegations but later admitted to hitting the child after being shown photographic evidence. She reportedly told deputies she viewed her actions as “discipline, not abuse.”
Authorities determined the injuries met the criteria for child abuse under North Dakota law. Foley was taken into custody around 3:15 p.m. and transported to the Lake Region Correctional Center in Devils Lake.
Deputies confirmed the children’s father was not involved in the incident. The children told investigators they felt safe in his care and said he had not been violent toward them.
Foley has been formally charged with one felony count of child abuse. Her bond hearing was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on October 20.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
