Mom hits 2-year-old son during jail visit, and gets put in jail, NC sheriff says

A woman visiting someone in the county jail also ended up behind bars, after deputies accused her of assaulting a toddler in the lobby, according to investigators in North Carolina.

The incident happened June 28 in Salisbury, and the victim is a 2-year-old boy, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said in a July 6 news release.

“Surveillance video from the Rowan County Detention Center Annex ... showed 29-year-old Katelyn Gail Russell in the public lobby participating in a video visitation with an inmate,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Russell was accompanied by her 2-year-old son, and no other members of the public were present in the lobby at the time. ... The video shows Russell becoming upset with the child before striking him in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the floor. Russell then picked the child up and left the lobby.”

A welfare check was conducted at the family’s home in Salisbury, and detectives determined the boy had no visible injuries.

“However, based on the surveillance footage and additional evidence gathered during the investigation, detectives obtained a warrant charging Russell with one count of misdemeanor child abuse,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The Rowan County Department of Social Services was notified as part of the investigation. Russell was arrested on July 1.”

Salisbury is about a 40-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 9:31 AM with the headline "Mom hits 2-year-old son during jail visit, and gets put in jail, NC sheriff says."