BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Two Inez women were arrested Monday on charges relating to child assault and endangerment.

Amber Ruble, 31, and Amanda Ward, 47, were taken into custody at Quail Hollow Apartments in Inez.

Ruble stands accused of endangering the welfare of a minor for leaving her 8- and 9-year-old children unattended in an apartment while she went to a pool hall.

Ward, a non-relative, faces fourth-degree assault resulting in minor injury of a child.

Chief Deputy Chris Kidd of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was on location at Quail Hollow when he saw a young girl running out of an apartment with Ward in pursuit, yelling and brandishing a blue “back scratcher.”

Ward allegedly confessed to “whipping” the child.

The deputy noted the girl bore welts and bruising on her legs.

Further investigation revealed Ward allegedly dragged a second child, a male, across the apartment floor by his legs.

The absence of a guardian, according to Kidd, directly precipitated the assault of both children by Ward.