A Grovetown mother, Rachel Rhinesmith, was arrested Thursday on multiple counts of child cruelty after allegedly striking her 7-year-old son in the eye and instructing him to lie about his injuries.
Officers responding to a call at Rhinesmith’s home discovered the living conditions to be deplorable. The 33-year-old mother, who has three boys aged 10, 7, and 1, was charged with four counts of cruelty to children.
The situation came to light when the 7-year-old arrived at Euchee Creek Elementary School with an injury to his left eye. When a school resource officer inquired about it, the boy revealed, “I’m supposed to say I fell out of the chair and the chair fell on me. Technically that happened but my mom had something to do with it, and I’m not supposed to talk about it.”
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Family and Children’s Services were alerted, leading to an investigation at Rhinesmith’s residence on Bakers Place Road in Grovetown.
The investigation revealed that Rhinesmith had repeatedly struck her son in the eye with the back of her hand, causing visible bruising and contusions. The injuries matched the pattern of a ring worn by Rhinesmith, according to the report.
Additionally, the living conditions in the home were described as squalid. A warrant noted that the children were subjected to “rotting food, molded food, garbage, insects, soiled linens, dirty dishes, and general unsanitary conditions.”
