Wake County couple charged in child neglect, abuse case
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Wake County couple is under arrest after disturbing allegations of child abuse.
According to our newsgathering partners at the News and Observer, the allegations include rape, and a teenager kept in a dog kennel found covered in feces.
The Wake County Sheriff's Office began investigating after receiving a tip on Feb. 20 about child abuse and neglect in southern Wake County.
Lacy Hocutt Jr., 34, was charged with three counts of statutory rape of a child under the age of 15 and six counts of statutory rape of a child by an adult.
Rachelleigh Galasso, 33, was charged with two counts of negligent child abuse-serious physical injury and two counts of negligent child abuse-serious bodily injury.
Hocutt and Galasso were arrested on Wednesday at a Motel 6 and appeared before a Wake County judge on Thursday.
Galasso is accused of neglecting two of her children's dental care to the point where both children had to have adult teeth removed. They will need dental treatment for the foreseeable future and cannot chew without pain.
The N&O also reported that those allegations of neglect included Galasso not getting her daughter's scoliosis treated to the point where the girl will have to live with the condition for the rest of her life. And of underfeeding her son, leaving him severely underweight. He reportedly suffered from an E. coli infection from exposure to fecal matter in the dog cage.
Investigators said the abuse started more than four years ago. According to arrest warrants, the investigation into Hocutt stems from an incident in October 2022.
The latest case is disheartening for people who work to try to prevent abuse and neglect from happening.
"We have been seeing the numbers go up year over year," said Rebekah Paredes, the executive director of Safe Child NC. "We are seeing all kinds of cases like this."
Paredes said it's important to be a safe space for children if they share stories of harm or neglect.
"So often that that doesn't happen, that, that children aren't believed, and therefore their story is not heard," she said.
That can lead to long-term abuse, she noted.
ABC11 stopped by the home listed on the arrest warrants and spoke off-camera with a man who identified himself as Hocutt's stepfather.
He told ABC11 that Hocutt destroyed his home and was considered bad news.
"When we think about child abuse and neglect, we're talking about physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. And neglect is just far more prevalent in our society, but particularly here in North Carolina," said Sharon Hirsch, the president of Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina. She said that more than 80% of child abuse in North Carolina falls under neglect.
"If we could tackle neglect, we could take also that overload and overwhelm off the system that is working to try to protect children and better support and intervene with the really hard cases, like the one that you're talking about," Hirsch said.
Both Hirsch and Paredes emphasized the long-term effects of child abuse on development, education and adult life.
"It impacts school success. It impacts worker productivity when we're adults. So we want to make sure that we can create all the positive experiences we possibly can for kids and families," Hirsch said.
Paredes added, "If we can see these signs early, and we can help those children, or even prevent it from happening then we can help those children, and we can help our community."
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and state officials remind residents that every adult in North Carolina is a mandatory reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services lists several signs of possible abuse or neglect, including sudden changes in behavior, unexplained injuries, fearfulness around adults, lack of medical care, and extreme compliance or responsibility in children.
Caregiver warning signs include blaming the child for problems, using harsh discipline, offering inconsistent explanations for injuries, or showing little concern for the child.
The agency notes that issues related solely to poverty are not considered child maltreatment.
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