Woman accused of endangerment after allegedly whipping her 7-year-old grandson
By Tom Alex, Register Staff Writer Des Moines Register, April 12, 2001

A Des Moines woman has been charged with child endangerment over allegations that she abused her 7-year-old grandson by hitting him with a switch.

Her husband also is charged in an earlier incident, and Des Moines police said the boy's aunt, too, will be charged with three counts of child endangerment for causing injuries with a switch on the boy and two of his siblings.

Dianne Taylor, 47, of 1803 College Ave., grandmother of all three children, is charged with one count of endangerment for

allegedly whipping the boy. Taylor and her husband, Stephen Taylor, were released from custody on bond Tuesday night.

Police Detective Brian Danner said he wants to file similar charges against an aunt for allegedly whipping the 7-year-old, his 8-year-old brother and 6-year-old sister.

Charges involving child discipline like those filed against the Taylors are uncommon, Detective Thomas Follett said. "It's really used only when it's obviously excessive or clearly not a disciplinary issue."

A Des Moines man, Curtis White Sr., who pleaded guilty to two charges of child endangerment in November, was sentenced to two years' probation in January for striking his son with a belt. White said his son needed strict discipline.

Dianne Taylor said Wednesday: "I don't know why they charged me or my husband. We weren't even here when it happened. We definitely will be fighting it in court."

Investigators said Dianne Taylor had custody of the children. Danner said police were called Sunday when the mother and Dianne Taylor argued about the children being hit with a thin green tree branch that was about three feet long.

"The kids said they'd get beat with a switch until it broke and then they'd get another one," Danner said. Police found three broken switches in the trash and a fresh one behind a china cabinet.

Police said the children now are in the care of their mother.