Women charged with force-feeding 4-year-old at Raleigh child care

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Wake County Sheriff's Office says it has charged two women at the Growing Well Child Care Center in the 5-thousand block of Neuse Street just outside Raleigh.

According to an arrest warrant, 69-year-old Shirley Staten - the owner - force-fed rice and water to a 4-year-old child causing "permanent or protracted injury."

She's charged with felony child abuse inflicting serious physical injury and misdemeanor child abuse.

Another woman, 37-year-old Nina Lassiter, is charged with misdemeanor child abuse.

The investigation is ongoing.

In a statement, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said: "The Division of Child Development and Early Education has issued a summary suspension of the facility's license that requires the facility to close at the end of business today. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot provide further comment".