Woman tied 11-year-old girl to bed, denied her food as punishment, NC cops say

An 11-year-old girl was tied to her bed, beaten and denied food as a form of punishment, according to investigators in North Carolina.

Her crime? Taking food from the pantry because she was hungry, according to an affidavit.

The abuse happened “repeatedly” at a home in Hope Mills, and the suspect is a woman who was awarded guardianship of the child in 2022, the Department of Social Services reports.

Sandra Lurch, 65, is facing more than a half dozen charges in the case, including two counts of felony intentional child abuse resulting in serious physical injury, according to the Hope Mills Police Department.

Social workers launched an investigation into the abuse allegations in January, and a visit to the home revealed the victim “appeared underweight and had visible marks on her face and neck,” a report states.

“During private interview, (the child) stated that Ms. Lurch withholds food as punishment by locking it in the pantry. (The child) reported that she becomes hungry and takes food without permission, which results in further restriction of food access,” an affidavit reports.

“There is further probable cause to believe that Sandra Lurch unlawfully restrained (the girl) by locking her in (the) bedroom and physically tying her to (a) bed to prevent her from leaving.”

Social workers observed Lurch “being verbally abusive” and threatening the girl during a home visit, officials said.

A second child (age 9) living in the home confirmed they were denied food for “misbehaving,” officials said.

“There is an established pattern of neglect and abuse at the hands of Sandra Lurch to the minors since she has been awarded guardianship. There have been multiple DSS reports about neglect and abuse through the years,” the affidavit states.

The children have been taken from the home and are no longer under the care of Lurch, officials said.

Lurch was arrested and is charged with:

• Two counts of felony intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury
• Two counts of misdemeanor child abuse
• Two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile
• One count of assault on a child under 12

Hope Mills is about a 75-mile drive south from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 6:14 AM with the headline "Woman tied 11-year-old girl to bed, denied her food as punishment, NC cops say."