Spartanburg Couple Charged With Child Abuse

Spartanburg Couple Charged With Child Abuse

3 Boys Found Malnourished, Bruised, Burned

POSTED: 8:48 am EDT July 15, 2006
UPDATED: 8:47 pm EDT July 15, 2006

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Three Spartanburg County children have been taken into protective custody, and their legal guardians charged with child abuse after the boys were found severely malnourished, burned and bruised.

The boys are ages 5, 7 and 8.

In an incident report, the boys were described as "extremely thin and weak" and "were literally skin and bones." The 5-year-old weighed less than 20 pounds, the report said.

A doctor who examined the children also discovered burns and bruises on the children's bodies.

"First time I've ever come across anything this rare," Spartanburg County Sergeant Kevin Bobo told WYFF News 4's Elise Hu.

Bobo said he also found evidence that the boys were sometimes tied up with plastic "zip ties", which are often used to wrap cables.

Molly and Dennis McCurry are the legal guardians of the children and both face three charges of inflicting great bodliy harm upon a child. Under South Carolina law, inflicting great bodily harm upon a child is considered a violent crime. A Spartanburg County judge denied bond for both Molly and Dennis McCurry at a bond hearing late Friday night. The McCurrys told the judge that the boys were underweight due to a stomach virus. Neighbors told News 4 that when they saw the children, they looked happy. The neighbors said they never suspected a problem. "You never hear any trouble out of them," said Bryan Underwood, who works across the street from the McCurrys. "When you do see them, there's no problems." The boys received medical treatment at Spartanburg Regional Hospital and will remain in Department of Social Services custody as the investigation continues.