ATHENS (WATE) - The mother of an eight-year-old boy was indicted by the McMinn County Grand Jury on two counts of aggravated child abuse.
Sheriff's detectives received a referral from the state Department of Children's Services alleging that April Michelle Lee, 30, of County Road 50, burned her son with a cigarette because he climbed too high in a tree.
A concerned family member initially reported the abuse and contacted DCS.
"The investigation revealed several fresh burns on the child's body, as well as some old burns," said Sheriff Joe Guy in a press release. "The mother confessed to burning the child out of stress and frustration."
The boy is in the custody of another family member.
Aggravated child abuse is a Class A felony. Lee was booked into the McMinn County Justice Center on May 25 on a $10,000 bond. She is scheduled to be arraigned on June 4.
April Michelle Lee (source: McMinn County Sheriff's Office)
