Bond revoked in child abuse case after second arrest

Melinda Chance Lee, 59, of Red Level, was arrested Wednesday by the River Falls Police Department for possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence. Lee was already out on bond for aggravated child abuse for a January 2022 incident.

Melinda Chance Lee

According to reports, River Falls Police Department Sgt. Justin Wood stopped Lee on Hwy. 84 near Heath River Falls Road for having no tag on her car. In interacting with Lee, Wood believed her to be under the influence. After failing field sobriety tests and other investigations, Wood found un-prescribed Suboxone in the car. Lee admitted she had acquired the Suboxone “from a friend,” officials said.

The District Attorney’s Office immediately filed to revoke Lee’s bond in the earlier child abuse case.

“Anytime we have a defendant out on bond and they are arrested on a new offense, we try to catch those and file to revoke the bond. My staff was quick to notice Lee’s arrest and within just a few hours obtained a warrant. We asked for assistance from the Covington County Sheriff’s Office to immediately serve it and they made it happen at the jail,” said District Attorney Walt Merrell.

Lee was charged in January 2022 after third parties took a severely burned and malnourished child to Andalusia Health for treatment. The child was transferred to USA Women’s and Children’s for multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery. The sheriff’s office was immediately contacted and responded to the local hospitalto begin an investigation. Officers learned that Lee was the custodian of the injured child and a sibling, immediately executing a search warrant at her home.

One child was forensically interviewed by the Covington County Child Advocacy Center’s Executive Director Mindy Barton at the CAC. That interview gave additional information not previously known and led investigators to obtain a second search warrant at Lee’s home. After that, representatives from the sheriff’s office, district attorney’s office, CAC, and the Department of Human Resources traveled to Mobile for a forensic interview with the second child victim.

Ultimately, Lee was charged with aggravated child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

“Perhaps more than ever before, I saw a team of people come together to do whatever it took to gather the necessary information, ensure the safety of these children, investigate Lee’s crimes, and put together the best case for prosecution. Our local team is, I think, the best there is,”said Covington County Sheriff Blake Turman.

Merrell added, “Lee’s bond has been revoked and she will remain in the Covington County Jail until her cases are resolved. She’s exactly where she needs to be, where she can’t harm anybody else — not children in her ‘care’ or innocent people driving on the roadway.”

Assistant District Attorney Nikki Stephens will lead the prosecution of the case.

Stephens expressed her gratitude to Chief Marcus Laster and Sgt. Justin Wood for their work and quick response to make the bond revocation possible; Lt. Joey Cato, Captain Mike Irwin, and Investigator Aaron Rodriguez at the sheriff’s office for their extensive work on the abuse case; and the DA’s office investigator Chief Nickey Carnley for his assistance in prosecution and a timely bond revocation process.

“Though no amount of prison time or restitution will ever be enough for what Lee did to these children, I hope they find some measure of peace knowing she is no longer walking free awaiting trial. These children are brave and strong — far stronger than when I first met them. Seeing the way they’ve overcome, healed, and not only survived, but thrived, has been a great encouragement and a solid reminder of why the team of people involved in these cases shows up every day,” Stephens said.