Kinston police arrested 34-year-old Kevina Little at a home in the 500 block of Sherman Street on Wednesday after officers responding to a child abuse report found a 14-year-old with several lacerations on the teen's body. Little, the juvenile's mother, was charged with misdemeanor child abuse and misdemeanor domestic violence and was taken to the Lenoir County Jail under a no-bond hold.
Officers Say Mother Was Responsible for Injuries
According to the Kinston Police Department, officers who responded to the Sherman Street address spoke directly with the teenager and determined that Little caused the injuries. Police said they would follow up with the Lenoir County Department of Social Services as part of the ongoing investigation.
WCTI News 12 independently confirmed the arrest, reporting that officers discovered the visible lacerations on the 14-year-old at the Sherman Street home before taking Little into custody.
No-Bond Hold Reflects North Carolina's Domestic Violence Rule
The no-bond order stems from North Carolina General Statute § 15A-534.1, which bars magistrates from setting bail in domestic violence arrests -- including child abuse committed by a parent -- and instead requires a district court judge to set release conditions within 48 hours, according to FindLaw. The rule is meant to give courts time to weigh a victim's safety before a parent facing such charges can be released.
Misdemeanor Charge Carries the State's Toughest Misdemeanor Penalty
Misdemeanor child abuse under North Carolina General Statute § 14-318.2 is classified as a Class A1 misdemeanor, the most severe misdemeanor level in the state, carrying up to 150 days in jail even for a first-time offender, per Kurtz & Blum, PLLC. A related statute, § 14-318.4, allows the charge to escalate to a Class D felony if a parent or caretaker is found to have intentionally inflicted serious physical injury on a minor under 16. It remains unclear whether Little's charges could be upgraded once the teen's injuries are further evaluated.
DSS Review Follows State's Mandatory Reporting Law
North Carolina's universal reporting law, § 7B-301, requires any adult who suspects child abuse or neglect to notify county social services or police, with failure to report punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor, according to the UNC School of Government. The Child Protective Services division of the Lenoir County Department of Social Services is responsible for evaluating such reports and can petition district court for protective custody if a child's safety is compromised.
Sherman Street Property Has Been Tied to Little Since 2023
Property on Sherman Street and Tower Hill Road in Kinston Township was transferred to Little in April 2023, according to Neuse News, tying her to the same neighborhood where Wednesday's arrest took place.
Case Joins String of Recent Lenoir County Child Abuse Prosecutions
The arrest comes months after a Kinston father, Ricardo Battle, was sentenced to more than 20 years in Lenoir County District Court for second-degree murder in the 2022 death of his 5-month-old son. In March 2026, medical staff at a Kinston facility identified multiple bone fractures in a 2-year-old, triggering felony child abuse charges against both parents in a separate case Hoodline previously reported. Kinston police have not said whether the 14-year-old in this case required hospital treatment or where the teen is staying now, and the outcome of Little's initial court appearance had not been announced as of Wednesday.
