Babysitter Arrested for Spanking Child

(Bartlesville, Oklahoma) A 36-year-old local babysitter, Tammy Faye Rucker, was arrested last Thursday for allegedly abusing a 9-year-old girl by spanking her. Rucker faces charges of child abuse.

According to the affidavit, police were notified on Tuesday, Sept. 1, by the Department of Human Services of a call from an elementary school about a third-grade student who was showing signs of abuse.

According to the report, the girl's teacher noticed the girl "would not sit still and acted as if she was hurting." The girl told the teacher her babysitter had spanked her with a paddle that Sunday. The affidavit said the teacher brought the girl to the school nurse and the school counselor who both reported the girl as having severe bruising on her bottom.

Rucker was booked into custody with bond set at $10,000.