Multiple parents arrested on child abuse charges during New Year's weekend

Kaitlyn Yother
Kaitlyn Yother
photo Danielle Foster
photo Kaitlyn Yother
photo Tyler Yother

Multiple parents were arrested on charges of child abuse or neglect over the New Year's holiday, according to police.

Police say a Chattanooga woman smashed a wine bottle into her son's head on New Year's Eve, two parents brawled and injured their 3-month old baby on Monday, and another mother drove drunk with her two kids in the car on Monday.

Danielle Foster, 29, was arrested after her son told police his mother became upset around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. The boy, whose age was not available, told police his mother yelled at him because he was touching his brother and told him to go to his room.

The boy said he was almost to his room when she called him back and hit him on the side of the head with a wine bottle. The glass bottle cut his head and left a large lump, the arresting officer noted. Foster then called a family member and asked him to come to the home on W. 37th Street because she was "about to kill" the boy.

The family member picked up the boy and the family called police the next day. Foster was arrested Sunday and charged with aggravated child abuse. She is being held in the Hamilton County Jail.

Police were also called to Lookout Mountain Suites on Broad Street on Sunday, after a "shots fired" call came in from the motel around 3 a.m.

Officers discovered Kaitlyn Yother, 20, and her husband Tyler Yother, 30, in the midst of a disorder. Kaitlyn Yother told police her husband attacked her and knocked their 3-month-old baby out of her arms and into the floor. But Tyler Yother said his wife lost her temper and threw the baby into the floor, then hit him and their vehicle with an extendable baton.

Kaitlyn Yother said her husband hit her with the baton.

Police arrested both parents on charges of aggravated domestic assault, domestic vandalism and child abuse and neglect. Both were booked into the Hamilton County Jail on Sunday. Tyler Yother has since been released on bond.

And across town on Monday, an officer pulled over Tamra Johnson, 30, after two women flagged him down and said Johnson's vehicle had nearly run them over as they were walking on Orchard Knob Avenue around 12:30 a.m. The women were flushed and out of breath and said they'd been running to get help after the vehicle hit a car and nearly hit them, according to Johnson's affidavit.

The officer drove to Orchard Knob Avenue and found Johnson behind the wheel with a 3-year-old and a 3-month-old in the backseat. The car was damaged as if it had been in a crash. Johnson was unsteady on her feet and admitted she'd been drinking heavily, according to the arresting officer.

She refused to comply when officers tried to take her into custody, according to her affidavit. Several officers eventually were able to arrest her. She was charged with child abuse and neglect because the children were in the backseat, as well as resisting arrest, driving under the influence and aggravated assault for nearly hitting the two women.

She was booked into the Hamilton County Jail and is being held on a $59,000 bond.

Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas. Follow @ShellyBradbury.

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