Father at custody hearing jarred by injuries to 5-year-old

CONWAY --
When Vincent Ross was given the details and shown photos of the injuries his daughter recently suffered, he was disgusted.

"It didn't look good," he said. "I love my daughter. This shouldn't be happening to her."

Police said Ross' 5-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries at the hands of Patricia Collins Eudy and her boyfriend, Aubrey Johnson. Eudy is the girl's mother and Johnson is Eudy's boyfriend.

Deputy Chief David Beaty of the Horry County police on Friday said the girl suffered "substantial injuries," but he would not elaborate.

A child protective custody hearing Friday for the five children living in the Myrtle Beach home that Eudy and Johnson share was continued until 9:15 a.m. Monday at the Horry County Courthouse. The hearing will be with the S.C. Department of Social Services.

Eudy, 35, is charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, unlawful neglect of a child or helpless person by legal guardian and inflicting great bodily harm on a child, according to court records. She is being held without bail at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Johnson, 26, is charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, unlawful neglect of a child by legal custodian and inflicting great bodily harm on a child, according to jail records. His bail was set at $125,000.

The arrest warrant said Eudy admitted causing "violent injury" to the girl without "adequate cause or provocation" and that Johnson was present when the acts were committed.

Ross said that when he first met Eudy several years ago that she "was the most wonderful person in the world."

The couple spent six years together, Ross said, and had two children before splitting up.
"Now ... I don't know what happened," he said. "She's a monster now."

The child was listed in fair condition Thursday at the Medical University of South Carolina, according to hospital spokesman Jeff Watkins.

On Friday, Watkins said he could not confirm or deny that the child was still in the hospital.
Johnson attended Friday's hearing, but Eudy was unable to because she was hospitalized.

Judge Lisa Kinon said Eudy was expected to be released from the hospital Friday afternoon and be returned to jail. Eudy's ailments were not disclosed.

Tonia Medrick of the DSS spent most of the nearly 20-minute hearing identifying potential guardians for Eudy's five children. Four of the children are currently in foster care.

Members of the Eudy, Johnson and Ross families were in attendance.

Medrick told the court that DSS is beginning the process of conducting home studies of the potential guardians.

Original Article -

MyrtleBeachOnline.com 01/12/2008 Father at custody hearing jarred by injuries to 5-year-old