Mother and boyfriend arrested on child abuse charges

WAYNE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A Wayne County mother and her boyfriend have been arrested after allegedly abusing her two children, ages 2 and 5, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they were contacted by a Kentucky Child Protective Service employee about abused children being treated in the emergency room. Medical staff reported signs of abuse, and deputies interviewed the mother, identified as Cindi Britt, and her boyfriend, Billy Hart.

Investigators said the couple admitted to spanking one or both children over time with a wooden paddle. The children were placed in the custody of their grandparents after the interviews.

Britt and Hart were both charged with two counts of first-degree criminal abuse and are being held at the Wayne County Detention Center.