Pauls Valley Woman Arrested For Abusing Daughter, Fabricating Story

Police in Pauls Valley say a woman abused her toddler, and then came up with an elaborate lie to try to cover the crime.

Police were called to the home of 25-year old Tiffany Ferguson after her boyfriend told a neighbor someone broke in and assaulted Ferguson and her daughter. Police went to the house to check on Ferguson and her children. “She’s crying.” Assistant Police Chief Derrick Jolley said, “She’s got marks on her neck that look like they’re from something being wrapped around her, choking her. (Her) clothing’s torn.”

Inside, police found Ferguson’s daughter.  “The daughter is two years old” Jolley said, “She’s got red marks from the top of her head all the way down the side of her cheek. Little bit of purple in there. She’d been struck pretty hard. She had marks on her side and back as well.”

At first, police said Ferguson said a man forced his way into the home and attacked her. “He put a chain around her neck and drug her around,” Jolley said Ferguson told investigators, “When the child came and asked to stop hurting mommy then he threw the child into the wall.”

Police said Ferguson later changed her story and said she and her daughter were beaten by her live in boyfriend. But it didn't add up. Finally, police said she admitted that she hit her two-year-old then faked her own injuries to make it look like she was attacked.

Ferguson is charged with child abuse, making a false report, and drug possession. Her two-year-old and her 11-month-old children have been removed from the home and are being cared for by the state.  Police said the 11-month-old did not appear to be injured.