Mom arrested; deputies describe abuse of 2 year old as "torture"

Two people have been charged in a child abuse case where deputies say a toddler was tortured.

Amber Dixon, 27, of Macclesfield has been charged with felony child abuse by neglect.

Pitt County deputies say Dixon is the mother of the two-year-old who they say was repeatedly abused by what has been described as "torture".

Deputies say they were alerted by the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office about the abuse that happened on Penny Hill Road in Pitt County during the first week of July.

Also charged is 37-year-old Elton Pritchett, of Greenville on two counts of felony assault by strangulation, two counts of misdemeanor communicating threats, and felony child abuse. Deputies have not said whether there was a relationship between the mother or the child.

Dixon was given a $25,000 secured bond and has been released from jail, while Pritchett is under no bond because of the domestic violence charges and a contempt of court charge after he had an outburst in the magistrate's office, deputies say.