Sentenced: Woman Accused Of Beating Her 8YO Granddaughter To Death

[Sugar Cookie]

A 72-year-old woman was arrested in North Carolina this week for allegedly beating her 8-year-old granddaughter to death, authorities said.

The woman, identified as Patricia Ann Ricks, was the child's legal guardian, according to the Nash County Sheriff's Office, which said in a news release that the girl and "several other siblings" lived at Ricks' home in the town of Nashville. The name of Ricks' granddaughter has not been released, but she was 8 years old, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities took Ricks into custody on Tuesday, and the woman now faces charges for first-degree murder and felony child abuse resulting in serious injury. She is currently being held without bail at the Nash County Detention Center.

The sheriff's office received a call just after 4 p.m. that afternoon reporting a deceased child at one of the area's local emergency rooms. The child had arrived at Nash UNC Healthcare's ER "with severe injuries" to her head and throughout her body, and had already died by the time she got there, the office said.

Because the young girl was living with Ricks, the investigation quickly led deputies and detectives to her Nashville residence, where "it was determined that the 8-year old juvenile was beaten so severe by the Grandmother that she died from the injuries," according to the sheriff's office.

Ricks did not share a statement with the sheriff's office when she was arrested, and authorities say that any potential motive for the alleged crime is still unknown. The siblings of Ricks' granddaughter, who also lived at their grandmother's home, have been placed in the custody of Nash County social services.

MSN

 

[BuffettGirl]

How does one make it to 72 being a disgusting, evil, child-abusing fuckwit such as this charming woman, who is anything BUT the idyllic, picture-perfect Meemaw...

 

[Kitsune Faye]

If you ever see me on this site for killing my mom or mother in law or anyone, it’d be this reason right here. You kill my kid, you’ll be tortured and in pieces.

 

[Freyja]

My question is where the hell are the parents of all of these kids living with grandma? Grandparents are done raising children. Not that this is any excuse for this raggedy old bitch to do what she did to that little girl. That's your own grandchild! I told my spouse that if I ever get that mean, old, and crotchety, he has my personal permission to put me out to pasture like an old bull. I pray I never get that damn mean.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

 

[Sugar Cookie]

There are people on social media saying this woman was probably overwhelmed taking care of multiple children and was not receiving enough assistance.

There is no excuse for what she did to this child.

If at 72 if you can beat a child to death you are in pretty damn good shaped physically and no one can foece you to take care of anyone else's child if it to overwhelming for you.

 

[MelanieSue]

View attachment 90000

MSN

oh this breaks my heart....I recognize her......I taught art at Cedar Grove, Middlesex, Red Oak....I knew some in the Rick's family....I'm crying.
I'm an empath.
Please Father in Heaven......please let this world's ending be soon. Yeshua please return soon

 

[Sugar Cookie]

oh this breaks my heart....I recognize her......I taught art at Cedar Grove, Middlesex, Red Oak....I knew some in the Rick's family....I'm crying.
I'm an empath.
Please Father in Heaven......please let this world's ending be soon. Yeshua please return soon

Did the grandmother present as capable to care for those children?

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A WRAL investigation has now found that social services was called to the girl's elementary school back in December, after staff reported the girl had been brutally beaten. WRAL News is now pressing the county to explain why the girl wasn't taken from her grandmother at the first sign of abuse.

A staff member at Cooper's Elementary School says Christal Lane came to school beaten so badly she was almost unrecognizable. They say social services didn't protect Lane. The staff member said Lane claimed she had been beaten for refusing to put lotion on her skin.

Nash County Schools say DSS investigators came to campus the day of the report and were in contact with the school all week.

The district also says a caseworker was assigned who visited Lane and the school multiple times, with investigators discussing this case with administrators throughout the month of January. Through it all, Lane and her four siblings remained in their grandmother's custody.

WRAL News asked Nash County DSS for a copy of the complaint filed by the school. We also asked what they found in their investigation into the reported abuse, and why Lane and her siblings were allowed to remain in Ricks's custody after the school's report.

In a statement, the department says they're currently conducting their own investigation into this incident, and when that's complete, they may be able to share more information.

WRAL Investigation finds grandmother accused of murdering granddaughter was reported for child abuse months earlier

A WRAL investigation has now found that social services was called to the girl's elementary school back in December, after staff reported the girl had been brutally beaten. WRAL News is now pressing the county to explain why the girl wasn't taken from her grandmother at the first sign of abuse.

www.wral.com

 

[Kelli]

That thing is NOT a gramma

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Christal Lane

 

[thuumpr]

Is Meemaw alive?

 

[Onemeanboss]

She’s very much alive

 

[thuumpr]

She’s very much alive

why?

 

[Sejanus]

Looks like a bad extra in Avatar.
Not like Zoe

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Patricia Ann Ricks on Friday pleaded guilty to the murder of her 8-year-old granddaughter.

Arrest warrants show Lane died in 2023 of severe blunt force trauma to her head and body. She died before she got to the hospital.

In court on Friday, Ricks, now 74, was told she faces a mandatory life in prison sentence.

Grandmother pleads guilty to murder of 8-year-old girl in Nash County,

Patricia Ann Ricks was charged in February 2023 with first-degree murder and felony child abuse after the death of her granddaughter, Christal Lane.

www.wxii12.com

 

[HijabiGirl]

"It's emotionally troubling for her, but I have no doubt she knows what she is doing ... it is just hard for her because this is the death of a child and the death of her grandchild," Phil Lane said.


This passive phrasing pisses me off. They make it sound like grandma just stumbled upon her dead granddaughter.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

The grandmother was visibly emotional in court and struggled to accept the plea. More than once, the judge asked Ricks if she understood she was pleading guilty to first degree murder. Several times, Ricks broke down and did not answer.

WRAL News spoke with Phil Lane, Ricks' attorney.
"It's emotionally troubling for her, but I have no doubt she knows what she is doing ... it is just hard for her because this is the death of a child and the death of her grandchild," Phil Lane said.

"It was an accident when it happened, I love all of my grandkids," Ricks said in court on Friday. "I took those kids, their mama and daddy didn't want them."
Phil Lane said Ricks began taking care of the children, ages 3 to 15, when she was 71.

"She gave the kids a happy home so they wouldn't go in foster care," Phil Lane said. "Church members were so surprised when his happened because she was a wonderful grandma and mother her whole life."

In court on Friday, the prosecutor Claire Wattle provided disturbing details about the girl's death.
"This happened in the master bedroom and bathroom, there was lots of blood around," Wattle said. "She was cold, there were attempts to revive her but [they] couldn't'."

A staff member at Cooper's Elementary School previously told WRAL News that Christal Lane came to school beaten so badly one day she was almost unrecognizable. The staff member said Christal Lane claimed she had been beaten for refusing to put lotion on her skin.
Nash County Schools said a caseworker was assigned to visit Christal Lane and the school multiple times. Through it all, Christal Lane and her four siblings remained in their grandmother's custody.

Grandmother pleads guilty to murder of 8-year-old girl in Nash County, will spend life in prison :: WRAL.com

She did not give those children a happy home and should not be allowed to believe that she did so.

She had no right to beat on them - maybe foster care would have been better for Christal and her siblings.

Ricks will be committed to a prison with a hospital due to her medical conditions. She will also undergo mental health evaluations.

 

[Freyja]

Grandmother pleads guilty to murder of 8-year-old girl in Nash County, will spend life in prison :: WRAL.com

She did not give those children a happy home and should not be allowed to believe that she did so.

She had no right to beat on them - maybe foster care would have been better for Christal and her siblings.

Ricks will be committed to a prison with a hospital due to her medical conditions. She will also undergo mental health evaluations.

Maybe "Mom" and "Dad" should have taken their asses to Planned Parenthood to get themselves sterilized so they could do all the bed hopping they wanted without bringing any children into the world to suffer. And if someone, no matter if they are only 18 years old, says they don't want children, they should be able to get a tubal ligation or vasectomy at an affordable price. Honestly I would rather have my tax money going towards sterilization so kids don't have to suffer.