Washington County daycare owner charged with felony child abuse

CRESWELL, N.C. (WITN) - A Washington County daycare owner has been charged with abusing a two-year-old at her business.

Sheriff Johnny Barnes says Crystal Sheline, of Elizabeth City, has been accused of felony child abuse inflicting serious injury, and misdemeanor assault on a child under 12.

Barnes says the 41-year-old Sheline is the owner of the Blooming Minds Daycare in Creswell.

According to warrants obtained by WITN, the two-year-old child was left with “serious physical injury, deep bruising and red hand marks on the leg and thigh and mental anguish.”

Sheline was released on a $3,000 bond on Monday after her arrest.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says the facility was last inspected on February 6th of last year. It had an unannounced visit on December 5th with DHHS saying there were no violations documented.

Blooming Minds has a Three Star license from the state for children up to five years of age.