Lynchburg: Daycare worker charged with child abuse; police investigating infant death

Lynchburg Police are investigating two tragic incidents involving children, one resulting in the death of an infant.

There’s been an arrest in the case of an anonymous report of child abuse alleged to have occurred at Caterpillar Clubhouse, a licensed daycare with five locations in the Lynchburg area.

According to Lynchburg Police, a tipster submitted a report on March 21 alleging an abuse incident at the Graves Mill Clubhouse location at 101 Leroy Bowen Drive.

After an investigation, the LPD obtained warrants for Shannon Inez Couch, a 50-year-old Lynchburg resident and employee at Caterpillar Clubhouse.

Couch, who has been charged with two counts of cruelty and injuries to children, turned herself in to police on Thursday.

Anyone with additional information in the Caterpillar Clubhouse case is urged to contact Detective Williams at (434) 455-6160, Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900, or Child Protective Services at (434) 455-5850.

Tips may also be submitted anonymously online at p3tips.com.

Details with the second incident involving a child, dating to Wednesday of this week, are still developing.

What we know is that the Lynchburg PD and Lynchburg Fire Department responded to a report of an unresponsive infant in the 600 block of Leesville Road at 4:32 p.m. on Wednesday.

Upon arrival, LFD personnel immediately initiated life-saving measures, and the infant was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Despite these efforts, the infant was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at LGH.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Officer Dempsey at (434) 473-0162 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900.

Tips may also be submitted anonymously online at p3tips.com.