Woman charged with tying toddler to bed
Published 12:47 pm Thursday, June 29, 2017
A Winchester grandmother pleaded not guilty Wednesday to allegations that she tied a 2-year-old to her bed at night, to the point she couldn’t move.
Francis “Janie” Purvis, 59, of 2 Linden Lane, was charged Tuesday afternoon with first-degree criminal abuse, according to court documents.
She was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Clark District Court, where the judge entered an automatic not-guilty plea.
According to the arrest citation, witnesses told police the child was tied in the bed on three separate occasions, twice with nylon rope and once with an electrical cord.
Relatives retrieved those items from the trash, police said.
Twice, witnesses told Winchester Police the child was tied so he could not move at all.
In an interview Tuesday with police, Purvis said she did it so the child wouldn’t get hurt, according to the arrest citation.
Purvis is in the Clark County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash bond. On Wednesday, ClarkDistrict Judge Brandy Oliver Brown appointed a public defender to represent Purvis.
Brown scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 5.
About Fred Petke
Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.
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