Alexander County Pair Arrested For Child Abuse

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — Two people have been arrested following an Alexander County child abuse investigation.

Alexander County Sheriffs say Zachary Elijah Puckett, 22, of Taylorsville, has been arrested and charged with three counts of Felony Child Abuse, after investigators followed up on reports of possible child abuse from the Alexander County Department of Social Services.

Authorities responded to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, where the two victims, ages seven weeks and 16-months, were being cared for, but no details have been released regarding the nature of the abuse.

A closer examination determined Summer Brianna Lewis, 25, and also of Taylorsville, was also a suspect.  Lewis was arrested and charged with  Accessory After the Fact of Felony Child Abuse.

The children are now in the custody of the Alexander County DSS.

Puckett and Lewis are both due for their first court appearances on January 23rd.