An Augusta woman identified as a DFACS employee has lost custody of her daughter and son after she and her husband were accused of beating the teen girl with an extension cord, authorities said.
Yolanda Rhyne, 56, and Ulysses Rhyne III, 51, remained in jail Monday night on a felony charge of cruelty to children in the first degree. A booking sheet says Rhyne is employed by the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services and the husband is self-employed.
The couple’s 13-year-old daughter suffered severe bruising on her legs and lower back from the beating, which authorities say was carried out by Yolanda Rhyne with a thick extension cord. According to reports, the girl’s father, Ulysses, held her down on the floor while the mother struck her.
The abuse came to light after a follow-up investigation regarding a runaway report at the family’s home on the 1700 block of Taylor Road in Augusta. Investigator Britney Moore discovered the extent of the injuries, which were inflicted with a “heavy-duty extension cord.”
Ironically, after the sheriff’s office notified DFACS about the case, both the 13-year-old girl and her brother were removed from the home and placed into temporary foster care, a report says.
Mrs. Rhyne’s Facebook profile indicates that she is a social worker, having studied for her master’s in social work at Louisiana State University.
