Three arrested in child abuse case

By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason, FCT Writer
The Franklin County Sheriff's Department arrested two Franklin residents for child abuse this weekend.
Authorities responding to a call on County Road 20 in Spruce Pine Friday arrested Stephanie Ann Helton, 21, of 185 Newell Road, Phil Campbell, and charged her with willful abuse of a child after she allegedly allowed her one-year-old to ingest alcohol.
Two more arrests were made in connection with this case on Monday. Naomi Nicole Eddy, 25, of 4830 Highway 20, in Spruce Pine, was arrested and charged with abandonment of a child after she allegedly refused to come to the residence and get her child, Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said.
"This arrest lead to a seven-year-old being placed in the custody of DHR," Plott said.
Robert Scott Anderson, 34, also of 4830 Highway 20, Spruce Pine, was arrested Monday, and charged with interfering with an investigation, Plott said.
Two of the children involved in this case were placed in the care of other family members, and the one child was placed in the custody of the Department of Human Resources, who assisted in the investigation, Plott said.
Helton was released yesterday on a $12,500 bond. Eddy was released Monday on a $1,500 bond, and Anderson was released Monday on a $1,000 bond.