Home / Crime and Justice / West Virginia Mom Punished Boy With "Attitude Adjuster"
West Virginia Mom Punished Boy With "Attitude Adjuster"
13 Jan
Summary
- Mother arrested for allegedly beating a young boy with a wooden paddle.
- The boy reported bruises on his shoulder, chest, and back lasting months.
- The mother faces felony child abuse charges with potential prison sentences.
A West Virginia woman, Courtney Crites, was arrested on January 9th, 2026, on three counts of felony child abuse following an investigation into alleged abuse in her Barbour County home. Crites, 32, allegedly used a two-foot-long wooden paddle, nicknamed "the attitude adjuster," to strike a young boy, causing injuries that included bruises lasting months.
The investigation began after a local child advocacy center received reports. Five children residing with Crites and an unnamed boyfriend spoke with authorities, detailing disturbing incidents. The boy reported being kicked, hit, and screamed at by Crites, including being kicked in the privates and forced outside in freezing temperatures before being struck with the paddle until it broke.
Crites is currently held at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on $100,000 bond, with a court appearance scheduled for January 12th, 2026. Conviction for felony child abuse in West Virginia can lead to sentences ranging from two to ten years for causing bodily injury, and five to fifteen years for serious bodily injury, with potential fines up to $3,000.
