Two people from Alva are facing child abuse charges after a babysitter reported bruises on a one-year-old.

Dung Anh Nguyen, 24, of Alva is charged with child neglect and child abuse by injury, both felonies. Alyssa May Kenyon, 23, of Alva is charged with child neglect and enabling child abuse by injury, both felonies.

The child neglect charges state the two willfully and maliciously neglected three children (ages 1, 3 and 5) by failing to protect them from the possession and use of illegal drug abuse. This crime is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding life imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

The child abuse by injury charge against Nguyen is for using unreasonable force on a male child, age 1, by swatting the child with his hand numerous times leaving bruises on his buttocks and thighs. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for not more than life, or by a fine of not less then $500 nor more than $5,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

The enabling child abuse by injury charge against Kenyon is for failing to protect her one-year-old child from abuse from her boyfriend.

According to court records, on June 16 Alva Police Officer Jade Cooper was notified by the dispatcher of a child abuse allegation involving a 1-year-old boy.

Cooper made contact with the babysitter who said the child had since been picked up by the mother (Kenyon). The babysitter said Kenyon brought the child to her residence about 7 a.m. She said she had to change the child’s diaper and observed bruising on the buttocks and thighs of the child. The babysitter said she then called Kenyon about the bruising and she didn’t seem concerned but left work to pick up the child. The babysitter said she had not cared for the child for a few days but the last time she was babysitting him, she observed no bruising.

Cooper, Alva Police Officer Tim Clapp and DHS Caseworker Derick Stephens went to the Kenyon residence where Kenyon and the child were outside. Woods County Deputy Adam Honeyman arrived shortly after. Kenyon showed Cooper the bruising on the child, which she observed to be significant beginning at the waistline, on both thighs and on the buttocks. Kenyon said her boyfriend, Nguyen, lived with her and was currently inside. Two other children, a 3-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, were also inside but had no injuries. All children were taken into protective custody.

Kenyon told Cooper she was the mother of the two younger children. She told Cooper she “was going to look into it herself” and she “had no idea what happened until the babysitter called.”

Cooper went inside the house with Kenyon and could smell an odor of marijuana. Kenyon admitted to smoking marijuana but denied there was any in the house. She said she usually smokes outside at night. She said Nguyen caused the bruising and began to get upset. Later Kenyon stated she didn’t know who caused the bruising.

Officer Cooper interviewed Kenyon learning that she met Nguyen online about four months earlier and began dating. She said he moved in with her about a month ago. She said she disciplines the one year old but not physically, and that she never spanks him. She said Nguyen doesn’t spank the child in front of her but she was unsure what he does when she’s not around. She said she noticed a bruise on the child’s thigh when she got him ready to go to the babysitter but didn’t think to look further and was in a hurry to get to work.

In a post-Miranda interview, Nguyen admitted to smoking marijuana and having marijuana inside the residence. He said it was located in the master bedroom closet in a purple container. He said he smoked marijuana daily with Kenyon but tried to only smoke when the children were asleep. He consented to a search of the residence and Kenyon also signed consent to search. Kenyon walked into the bedroom closet to a hanging clothes rack and pulled out a metal grinder and a purple container filled with a green leafy substance which field test positive for marijuana.

During the interview Nguyen said Kenyon worked Wednesday and Thursday and he watched the child both days since he was off work. He said he does spank the child when he needs to and did so on Thursday, June 15. He said he made lunch for the child. When he wasn’t eating, he made him a bowl of cereal. The child spilled the bowl. Nguyen said he told him “no, no”, picked up the cereal and gave it back to the child. The child spilled it again, and he gave him a look and told him no. He said he picked up the cereal and gave it back to the child. The child again spilled the bowl, and Nguyen said he swatted him on the thigh with an open hand.

The child was taken to the hospital to be examined. The physical said the bruising on the child was suspicious and there appeared to be some bruising more recent than others.

Cooper ran a limited background check of Nguyen and determined he had arrests in Kansas for various offenses including possession of marijuana.