Henderson Co. couple charged with abusing 13-month-old

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Deputies say a Henderson County couple is facing child abuse charges after a 13-month-old is admitted to the emergency room with severe injuries.

Ruby Landrum, left, and Josh Rogers

The toddler was brought to the hospital in Lexington by his mother, Ruby Landrum. Investigators say she initially reported the child had been hurt after falling over a toy.

“Parents had brought the child to the ER. The doctors had expressed some concerns that the injuries on the child weren’t quite matching what the mother was saying,” lead investigator on the case David Dowdy with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said.

Landrum and her boyfriend, Josh Rogers, have both been charged with felony aggravated child abuse and neglect.

“He has injuries on him that neither one of them can explain how he got them,” Dowdy said.

The toddler was sent to Vanderbilt for more treatment and a medical exam.

“They found he had new fractures, and he had old fractures that were at different points of healing,” Dowdy said.

Investigator Dowdy says during an interview, the 18-year-old mother admitted she may have lost her temper with the child.

It’s something the deputy said he hopes serves as a cautionary tale for other parents.

“So you have to be the grown-up and put your own feelings and thoughts aside when dealing with small children,” he said.

Deputies say the 13-month-old is now in the care of family members and appears to be recovering well from the alleged abuse.

Both Landrum and Rogers are free on bond.