Grandmother charged with murder in death of 8-year-old granddaughter

NASH COUNTY, N.C. (WITN/Gray News) - Investigators in North Carolina arrested a 72-year-old woman and charged her with murder in the beating death of her 8-year-old granddaughter.

The Nash County Sheriff’s Office says that shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday, they were notified that a child was taken to the emergency room at Nash UNC Healthcare with severe injuries and was dead upon arrival.

Deputies and detectives responded to the hospital to investigate and determined that the child was living on Dutchman Road in Nashville, WITN reports.

Detectives allege that the 8-year-old was beaten so severely by her grandmother that she died from the injuries.

Investigators charged 72-year-old Patricia Ricks with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. She was placed in the Nash County Detention Center under no bond.

Investigators say the child had severe injuries throughout her entire body and head.

The child lived with her grandmother and several other siblings. The grandmother was the legal guardian of the children.

The other siblings are currently in the custody of the Nash County Department of Social Services.