Augusta woman arrested after slapping nephew in the face

An Augusta woman was arrested Sunday after slapping her 12-year-old nephew several times in the face.

Krystal Rickerson, 31, was charged with one count of cruelty to children in the first degree. According to a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Rickerson’s sister contacted authorities about the assault.

She told deputies Rickerson lives at the same residence on Frohman Street. She told deputies she was at work when the incident occurred, but her daughter told her about it.

Rickerson admitted in text messages to striking the boy. The boy told deputies he was in his bedroom with his cousins and sister, when he insulted his cousin. Rickerson heard him, came into the room, grabbed him by the shirt and told him to say it again, according to the report.

After he repeated himself, Rickerson struck him with an open hand on the left side of his face. Rickerson told deputies she hit the boy because of the language he had used towards her child. She said she slapped him three times.

No visible marks were seen on the boy’s face, the incident report states Rickerson is being held at Charles B. Webster Detention Center.