ROBSON, W.Va. — A Fayette County couple has been jailed for allegedly abusing their three children by providing them with marijuana, physically assaulting them, failing to provide running water in the house, and selling prescription pills that were meant for one of the children.
According to court documents, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department received a video depicting a 5-year-old child smoking what appeared to be a marijuana pipe. In the video, the child’s mother could be seen giving the pipe to him. The father later told investigators he kept marijuana in the home for his own use because of pain he had been experiencing after surgery.
Additionally, a photo was sent to the sheriff’s office that appeared to show bruises on the face of one of the children. Another child told authorities he had been beaten repeatedly by both parents.
Investigators said water service at the house had been turned off because of a delinquent utility bill.
The parents, Samantha Elmore and Ronald Short, Jr. were charged with child abuse resulting in injury and gross child neglect creating substantial risk of bodily injury or death. They are being held in the Southern Regional Jail.