Fort Belvoir woman faces prison after brutal beating of son over messy room

Boy in Fort Belvoir area of Virginia's Fairfax County escaped brutal beating by mother, who now faces up to 16 years.

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A woman in Fort Belvoir area of Fairfax County, Virginia, United States has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the brutal assault of her 10-year-old son, who only managed to escape by climbing out of a window and jumping from the roof.

China Ashley Charles, 38, entered her plea on Tuesday, facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault by striking, beating, and wounding, and cruelty to children, according to a statement from the US District Attorney's Office in Alexandria.

Court documents reveal that on October 8, Charles became enraged after discovering her son's bedroom was messy.

In a violent outburst, she used multiple objects to strike the child, including a chair, dresser drawers, a hot iron, a charging wire, a hairbrush, and a large serving spoon. "She attempted to strike his face with the iron, but he blocked it with his hands," the statement explained. "When Charles hit the child with the charging wire, his finger was cut and began bleeding."

To conceal the severity of her crime, Charles allegedly made her son sit in a cold bath and splashed cold water on his face, attempting to downplay the injuries.

However, the child eventually managed to escape, climbing out of his second-floor bedroom window before jumping from the roof and fleeing, prosecutors said.

"He was recovered by police with substantial bruises, abrasions, a knot on the back of his head, and a cut and bleeding finger," the release noted. Emergency responders transported the child to the emergency room at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital for treatment.

Following the assault, law enforcement recovered several items from Charles' home, including the iron, chair, hairbrush, spoon, and multiple dresser drawers.

Authorities also found a sweater and a shirt with the words "I'M ON PUNISHMENT" written in black marker. "Several of these items appeared to have blood on them, and further examination confirmed that the child’s blood was located on the iron and at least one dresser drawer," the statement said. The child's sister reported that Charles had been beating him for the past four years.

Charles is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9 and faces up to 16 years in prison. The plea agreement was announced by Erik S. Siebert, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, following acceptance by US District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.