On August 17, 2019, Officers with the Spindale Police Department took an assault report at Rutherford Regional Hospital from Whitley Lowrance of East Main Street, Spindale, NC. Lowrance the mother of a 25-day old infant had taken the infant to the hospital after returning from work that day and noticing a bump on the child’s head. The infant was to have been with his father, Tyresse Dayshawn Cox, at an address Second Street, Forest City, NC while Lowrance was at work. The medical staff at Rutherford Regional Hospital determined the infant had a skull fracture and he was transferred to Mission Hospital. The infant child was treated and released from Mission Hospital.
On August 20, 2019, the assault report was forwarded to Forest City Police Department and an investigation into the incident was initiated by CID Lt. Chris Weeks. In a follow up visit to Mission Hospital, it was found the infant had also suffered from broken ribs, which the medical staff determined would have occurred around the same time of the child’s skull fracture. In an interview with Lt. Weeks, Cox reported to throwing and kicking the infant after the child would not stop crying.
On August 18, 2019, Cox was served with a warrant for felony child abuse inflicting serious injury. He received a $100,000 secured bond hand he was placed in custody of the jail at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
