MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WATE) -- A man and woman were charged with aggravated child abuse or neglect after an incident at Morristown Hotel and Suites.
Steven Anthony Bailey, 27, and Lillian Sue Hardee, 19, were charged under aggravated child abuse or neglect under Haley's Law. A three-month-old that was in the room at the time the couple was arrested was taken to the hospital for evaluation and placed into the custody of the Tennessee Department of Child's Services.
Haley's law makes it a Class A Felony to contribute to the abuse of a child who is under the age of nine in a way that leads to injury. The law was named after a Campbell County girl.
Police said they responded to Morristown Hotel and Suites at around 8:19 p.m. August 29 after a man said he had been assaulted by Bailey. Officers said the man declined to prosecute, but when they searched the room they found drug paraphernalia and a bag of methamphetamine.
The next night, officers returned to the hotel room and found Hardee and Bailey with a three-month-old child. Officers also found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the room. The mother admitted to the detective she had smoked methamphetamine.
Bailey was also charged with possession of methamphetamine.