Police heard from neighbors, counselors and even the victim before they decided to arrest a man and woman on child abuse and neglect allegations on Friday, per reports.

PCD arrested Shawnna Michelle Baxter, 34, and Richard Brian Helms, 37, both of a Persons Road address in Cedartown, after neighbors first called asking for a welfare check on a youth who hadn’t been seen in the past few days after a previous welfare check done by officers.

When police arrived, they heard from the neighbor who said the youth rides the bus to school with her children, and they hadn’t seen her much since August 16. Those children had also told their mother that the child had been abused by the pair.

The young victim of the abuse and neglect was ultimately located in class at Cedartown Middle School, and asked to speak with the counselor and police. She told them how she suffered physical abuse – bruises still visible – including being hit with a kitchen utensil for not doing the dishes right, and being shoved into a wall, and being slapped across the face.

Additionally, she told officers that there were times when the pair wouldn’t feed her because they claimed she was “fat,” and the only time she ate was at school. Baxter and Helms were also alleged to have marijuana in the house, and the victim even knew where to find it.

Police took this information – along with previous reports when all three lived within the Cedartown City limits – and contacted the Department of Family and Children Services for additional help. Warrants were taken out for the pair on charges of cruelty to children in the first and third degrees.

When police and DFCS arrived at the Persons Road residence where Baxter and Helms lived with the victim, Baxter at first became “agitated” when the two agencies wanted to look inside the home. Helms told Baxter to let them inside to do an inspection, and she relented.

“As (a DFCS officer) continued to speak to Shawnna, Richard became emotional and began to cry asking if he was going to jail. To this question I responded that D.F.A.C.S needed to conclude their investigation and then law enforcement would discuss further action,” police noted in their report.

The DFCS official noted the home was unfit for children to be allowed to stay there after the two were notified after the inspection they were being charged and arrested for cruelty to children.

“Shawnna stated that she couldn’t leave her animals and became very upset,” the report added, and only after police let them try to talk neighbors into watching the animals did the pair think to ask their immediate neighbor if they could also watch the victim. Police noted that DFCS found the neighboring home unfit for children to stay in as well. A second neighbor’s house was inspected, and DFCS found it suitable for temporary placement of the victim until other arrangements could be made.

Police carried both Baxter and Helms onward to the Polk County Jail on Friday afternoon, August 19, where they were booked on the felony charge of cruelty to children in the first degree, and the misdemeanor charge of cruelty to children in the third degree.

Baxter remained in custody on a $6,000 bond as of this posting. Helms was being held without bond at the jail.