In a disturbing case out of West Virginia, a woman stands accused of severe child abuse, with allegations including physically assaulting a young boy and subjecting him to harsh punishments. The accusations against 32-year-old Courtney Crites paint a grim picture of life in her Belington home, where she allegedly used a wooden paddle, ominously named “the attitude adjuster,” to discipline the child. Reports also claim she kicked him in the groin and left him outside in bitter cold temperatures.

This case came to light following an investigation by a local child advocacy center, which was prompted by police alerts. On Friday, Crites was apprehended after authorities delved into the reports of abuse, as detailed in a criminal complaint accessed by Law&Crime.

According to official documents, the child advocacy team conducted interviews with five children residing with Crites and her boyfriend. These interviews, recorded on video, were subsequently reviewed by law enforcement, leading to Crites being charged with three counts of felony child abuse.

During these interviews, officers noted the boy’s testimony, which described a harrowing pattern of abuse. He recounted instances where Crites allegedly kicked him, struck him, and yelled at him. Particularly troubling was his claim that she kicked him in the privates about two months prior.

The boy further revealed that failing to organize his clothes “the right way” would provoke Crites to wield her wooden paddle, which she chillingly referred to as “the attitude adjuster.” One particularly cruel incident involved Crites forcing him outside in freezing conditions, only to eventually bring him back inside and strike him with the paddle until it broke, the complaint notes.

“[The boy] described the injuries sustained from being hit as bruises on his shoulder, chest and back, and that the bruises lasted for ‘a couple months,’” according to police. “[The boy] continued to advise that when Ms. Crites would get mad she would walk past him and kick him.”

The child allegedly told investigators that he was “scared to death” of Crites after she “broke the paddle by hitting him with it.” He described the wooden board as being approximately 2 inches by 4 inches, and roughly 2 feet in length.

The relationship between the boy and Crites is unclear. Police say the woman resides with the other minor children and victim at their home in Barbour County.

Crites is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail with her bond set at $100,000. She was due to appear in court Monday for a disposition hearing.