A man pleaded not guilty Monday in court after being accused of abusing the 14-month-old girl of his live-in girlfriend.
24-year-old Matthew Paul Jenkins of 135 Weaver Dairy Road, close to Bessemer City, was accused of abusing the girl and biting her leg in January and February. According to arrest records, the girl had swelling and bruising on her head, face, and eyes.
In March, Jenkins had been charged with misdemeanor assault on a child under 12 and felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. He had denied a plea agreement offer in which he would have to plead guilty to intentional child abuse with inflicting serious injury.
Police also charged Taylor Rainer Wilhelm, the child’s mother, in the abuse.
