A 34-year-old mother is accused of using a dog chain to hit her 14-year-old daughter and attacking one of her young sons.
Jackson County prosecutors charged Shadell Jackson with two counts of child abuse.
Police learned about the allegations back on Sept. 7, 2016 when Jackson’s 14-year-old daughter went to a relative looking for help, according to court documents.
The teen told police her mother became angry and hit her with a dog chain.
The probable cause statement says when officers responded they found dog feces scattered throughout the home, and animal control took custody of 10 dogs.
There was little to no food in fridge. The 14-year-old told investigators she and her four siblings don’t eat at home because her mother sells the family’s food stamps for “beer and ‘weed.’”
The girl’s younger brother told investigators when he was ten Jackson punched him in the face.
Neighbors told 41 Action News the woman's alleged actions are unacceptable.
“If you’re not going to do something about removing the child yourself then definitely call people or get other people involved,” Casey McCaulley, a neighbor, said.
She said Jackson was notorious for her erratic behavior. McCaulley said in one instance Jackson vandalized her own home.
“She was taking a big tree branch and vandalizing windows to the house and then police were called. They didn’t get her and then she was vandalizing the vehicle,” McCaulley said.
The 34-year-old mother told detectives her daughter began talking back to her so she grabbed her hair, hit her with the dog chain and her pushed her to the ground.
“Kids can be difficult, but at the time child abuse is never the answer. It just teaches them that violence is OK and you end up having a vicious cycle of a bunch of violent people,” McCaulley said.
Jackson made her first appearance on Wednesday. Her next court hearing is set for March 22 at 9 a.m.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
