A Mount Holly woman sits behind bars, accused of a violent altercation with her daughter that reportedly stemmed from a domestic dispute over laundry. Erin Boughman, 36, faces serious charges including intentional child abuse with serious physical injury, assault by strangulation, and simple assault, stemming from an incident that occurred on January 26th.
The altercation escalated when Boughman allegedly pressed her daughter's head against a wall, and later choked her with both hands, as per an account from prosecutors cited by WSOCTV. The confrontation led to a contusion on the back of the child's head, along with petechiae of her left eye, a type of injury associated with strangulation. In a desperate bid to rescue the child, the girl's grandfather intervened and was subsequently bitten by Boughman in the fray.
Details from Gaston County Court records show that Boughman was taken into custody on Monday and is currently held on a $150,000 bond, as reported by WCNC. Her next court appearance is scheduled for February 17th. Meanwhile, officials have ordered her to have no contact with her children post-arrest.
However, the defense has a divergent view of the situation. Matt Hawkins, a public defender and family friend, suggested that the child's injuries were minor and her depiction of the events differed substantially from another account he is familiar with. Hawkins conveyed to District Court Judge Chip Harrison that after the incident, the daughter was taken to the hospital but was quickly released. "The facts as I know them are 'vastly different' than the way the child had presented them," Hawkins told the court, as mentioned in Gaston Gazette. Despite these claims, Judge Harrison upheld the set bond amount at $150,000.
The Gaston County Police Department has yet to release further information on the case. Until then, this disturbing incident stands as a stark reminder of the hidden turmoil that can viciously unfold within the seeming sanctuary of a family home.
