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Written by: E. George
Published October 31, 2024 @ 1:00 PM ET
Warning: The following story contains information regarding alleged physical violence against children.
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. – A 31-year-old McIntyre woman is facing child cruelty charges after witnesses reported seeing her abuse her juvenile son, and teachers reported his unkempt appearance and foul odor. Tiffany Nicole Tullia was charged with first-degree and third-degree cruelty to children, a report was filed with the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), and a follow-up investigation was scheduled.
A Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy responded to the Milledgeville location and interviewed the victim and witnesses. The witnesses’ accounts corroborated the victim’s description of what had transpired – Tullia “punching on him and slapping him.”
A neighbor added that the victim had arrived at her residence “covered in dirt, crying, and red-faced as he explained to her he was just attacked by his mother.” However, she did not witness the incident.
The boy said he was afraid of his mother and she had been “beating him incessantly and for no reason.” He wielded a stick and explained it was to defend himself from attacks and “not get beaten again.”
The boy stated that he had bruises in the past but wasn’t sure if there were any visible ones still on his body. The deputy and a witness searched for signs of abuse and found and photographed a bruise on the child’s right buttock. He complained of feeling dizzy after falling to the ground during the physical altercation with his mother.
He explained that Tullia had struck him multiple times with open and closed hands and pinched his face. The deputy noted that the boy’s face appeared “slightly red all over.”
According to reports, his teachers have complained recently about how the child smells as if he is not being properly bathed or cared for at home. They also mentioned he has been acting out at school and refusing to leave school.
While the deputy spoke with witnesses, Tullia called one of their phones. She admitted to the deputy that she had struck the victim “in the head as a result of him moving around too much.”
Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived and evaluated the victim, clearing him to remain home. They supplied his family members with instructions in case his condition worsened.
This case is pending.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
I contacted both complainants, [WITNESS #1] and [WITNESS #2], at [900 BLOCK] Sparta Highway in reference to the juvenile victim, [REDACTED BY AGENCY], being attacked by [REDACTED BY AGENCY], Tiffany Tullia.
I was given permission by [WITNESS #1] and [WITNESS #2] to speak with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] privately to get his version of the incident without adult influence on his testimony. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Tiffany came to the residence to take him home with her, but he refused to do so and ran to the neighbor’s house at [900 BLOCK] Sparta Highway. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said his reasoning for this was due to him being afraid of [REDACTED BY AGENCY], [REDACTED], for beating him incessantly and for no reason. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated he was in possession of a stick at the time to, in his own words, “defend himself from both [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] so he would not get beaten again”.
[REDACTED BY AGENCY] then said he reluctantly put the stick down and while Tiffany was accusing him of telling lies about how he is being treated at her house, she struck him multiple times; both with a closed and open hand, to include pinching him in the face. During the time I was speaking with [REDACTED BY AGENCY], I did not observe any signs of physical harm, although his face did appear slightly red all over. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] also said the physical altercation caused him to fall to the ground and as a result, made him dizzy.
After receiving the information for the incident itself, I returned to the topic of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] being beaten by [REDACTED]. Questions regarding having visible bruising on his body were met with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] saying he has had bruises in the past, but was unsure if he still had any on his person at the time. At this point, I had [WITNESS #2] step in the room with us so I could check him for any visible injuries or markings. What appeared to be a faded bruise to [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s right buttocks was observed by both [WITNESS #2] and I, so a picture was taken for evidence and uploaded via Axon Capture.
After speaking solely with [REDACTED BY AGENCY], [WITNESS #2] and [WITNESS #1] were called back into the room while EMS personnel arrived at the residence to check on him as a precaution. While EMS were speaking with [REDACTED BY AGENCY], [WITNESS #2] and [WITNESS #1] began corroborating some of [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s claims about how he is treated at Tiffany’s house, to include the unnecessary beatings he endures from [REDACTED]. Also, [WITNESS #2] stated that [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s teachers have complained recently about how he smells as if he is not being bathed at home. The teachers also mentioned that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] has been acting out at school, and refusing to leave school with [REDACTED BY AGENCY], in turn causing them to find out about him allegedly being beaten and not cared for properly.
While I was speaking with [WITNESS #2] and [WITNESS #1], Tiffany called [WITNESS #2]’s phone and allowed me to answer it and step outside to speak with her. While I was speaking with Tiffany, she initially stated she did not hit [REDACTED BY AGENCY], only spanked him. As the conversation continued, Tiffany stated that she hit [REDACTED BY AGENCY] in the head as a result of him “moving around too much”. Tiffany then informed me she left the location after having a brief verbal argument with [WITNESS #2] about what occurred.
After I finished speaking with Tiffany, I had a brief conversation with [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s cousin, [REDACTED], about what she saw take place. [REDACTED] told me she saw [REDACTED BY AGENCY] with a stick and told him to put it down, which he did, and then in her own words said Tiffany was “punching on him and slapping him”. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was later cleared by EMS personnel to stay home as his suspected injuries were not serious to the point of needing immediate medical attention; however, family members were instructed on what to do if his condition worsened.
Before leaving the area, I spoke with the neighbor at [900 BLOCK] Sparta Highway, [REDACTED], who advised she did not witness the altercation take place. [REDACTED] did however inform me [REDACTED BY AGENCY] came to her residence after the physical altercation, covered in dirt, crying, and red-faced as he explained to her he was just attacked by his mother. [REDACTED] stated that shortly thereafter, [WITNESS #1] walked over to her residence and collected [REDACTED BY AGENCY].
A report was filed with the Department of Family and Children’s Services due to the nature of the incident. Warrants for cruelty to children in the first (felony) and third degree (misdemeanor) were sworn against Tiffany.
A follow-up investigation will be conducted with [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s teachers at [REDACTED BY AGENCY] on my next working day relating to the allegations of abuse at home.
[End of Narrative]