ELKO – A woman has been charged with felony child abuse in a complaint that accuses her of pulling a boy’s hair, kicking and striking him.
Tanaya L. Becker, 25, was booked April 6 on the charges after police were called to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital on Jan. 23 regarding a young child who was suspected of being a victim of abuse.
During a police interview Becker and the child’s father claimed the injuries were received at his biological mother’s home or as a result of the boy injuring himself, including pulling his own hair out and trying to pull out his own teeth.
Police said the amount of bruising was not consistent with self-harm. According to their report, the boy “had bruises all over his body, including but not limited to the chin, behind his ears, raccoon eyes in both eyes, both arms, back, stomach, and legs.”
The child was hospitalized overnight but then released under a “safety plan” prepared by the Nevada Department of Child and Family Services.
Becker told police she had videos of the boy harming himself, but police said they viewed the footage did not observe anything that would have caused the injuries.
In a formal interview she continued to maintain that she did not harm the child, but police gave her a lie detector test and said she failed it.
According to the Elko County Clerk’s office the couple received a marriage license two weeks prior to Becker’s arrest.
