N.C. mother accused of beating child with belt, homemade paddle

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - Columbus County investigators say a tornado drill at a local elementary school helped reveal alleged child abuse.

According to a news release, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office was alerted by social services on March 12 about the possible abuse after school personnel at Williams Township School observed bruising on a student’s lower back during a tornado drill.

“The child was found to have severe bruising and scratches on the back, bruising on the buttocks, sides, and between the thighs. The child also sustained a bleeding, busted bottom lip,” the news release stated.

Investigators say the child’s mother, 37-year-old Christina Angelique Formyduval, repeatedly struck the child with a belt and a homemade paddle, and hit the child in the mouth with her hand. The alleged abuse occurred March 3-5, according to the release.

Formyduval was arrested on Wednesday and charged with three felony counts of child abuse inflicting serious injury and booked in jail under a $6,000 bond.

The county department of social services’ investigation is ongoing.

“The Williams Township School personnel are heroes. They used their experience and listened to their intuition to assist this child, who needed someone to be their voice,” Sheriff Jody Greene stated in the news release. “The school personnel did so without hesitation. The courage and love these professionals showed for this child proves that the love they have for their students extends far beyond the classrooms and the walls of the school.”