A young girl in Knoxville ran down Selma Avenue crying for help Wednesday afternoon, covered in bruises, after allegedly being grabbed by the neck and struck repeatedly by two adults. The girl and a boy had been dropped off by a cousin on Magnolia Avenue. According to authorities, officers were called to the area after reports that a young girl was seeking help and covered in bruises, leading to child abuse charges against both adults involved.
Officers responded to the area of Selma Avenue and Verbena Street for a call describing a “young girl covered in bruises and asking for help,” according to WVLT. Once there, officers spoke with Ralpheal Lee, Shawnda Goines, the girl, and three witnesses. Both Lee and Goines were ultimately charged with child abuse of a minor under the age of 10.
An iPad Dispute Preceded the Alleged Assault
Court records say the girl told officers that she and a boy had been dropped off by a cousin on Magnolia Avenue. Goines then confronted the girl, who had an iPad that had previously been taken away from her, the outlet's report states. The girl said she told the adults she planned to run away once they got back home, and that the pair simply told her to go ahead.
That is when the girl ran down Selma Avenue, crying for help, while Lee allegedly followed her in a white car, per the same account. She told officers she was afraid Lee was going to choke her again. Witnesses reported seeing the girl running down the road asking for help.
Detective Documents Bruising on Face, Neck and Arms
Court records allege that Lee grabbed the girl by the left arm and then placed his hand around her neck as she tried to get away. The girl also told officers that Goines allegedly hit her several times on the right arm and on the left side of her face.
A responding detective documented the extent of her injuries. The detective observed a large bruise covering the left side of her face, along with a large red and bruised area covering her neck and upper chest, the report notes. Scratch marks and bruises were also found on her shoulder, in addition to a bruise in her right armpit area and a bruise on her right arm. According to witnesses, Lee had admitted to hitting and choking the victim.
Case Surfaces Amid Statewide Rise in Repeated Abuse
The Knoxville case comes as Tennessee grapples with what state officials describe as a troubling trend. A 2025 report from the Tennessee Second Look Commission, using Department of Children's Services data collected throughout 2024, found an increase in children suffering repeated incidents of severe abuse, representing the highest number of victims since the commission's inception, according to localmemphis.com.
That report found physical abuse accounted for 9.5% of all combined incidents, while children exposed to drugs made up 28% of cases of subsequent abuse and 37% of combined incidents overall. Sexual abuse was cited as the most frequent form of continued abuse, accounting for over half of the cases received by the Department of Children's Services. The commission recommended a comprehensive evaluation of current oversight procedures involving the Tennessee General Assembly and the Department of Children's Services.
It is not clear from available court records whether Lee and Goines have entered pleas or what their custody or bond status is. No additional details about the girl's age, medical treatment, or current living situation have been made public.
