An Ardmore mother and her boyfriend have been indicted for felony child abuse for allegedly spanking her 6-year-old daughter so severely it left bruises on her buttocks and legs, records show.

Melinda Leigh Barnes, 29, and Kevin Bruce Bennett, 32, both of 29775 Elkwood Section Road, were indicted by a Limestone grand jury during the wee k of Nov. 3. The list of those indicted was released Thursday.

A schoolteacher at Ardmore detected the alleged abuse, said Limestone County Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt when the couple was first arrested Sept. 10.

When the girl kept fidgeting in her seat at school, her teacher asked if something was wrong.

“The girl wouldn’t complete her supper meals, so they spanked her and made her sit at the table, sometimes for eight hours at a time,” McNatt said. “The bruising was pretty bad.”

The teacher reported the bruising to the Department of Human Resources, which reported it to the Sheriff’s Department Aug. 31. Limestone Sheriff’s Investigator Leslie Ramsey determined charges were warranted.

“Investigator Ramsey interviewed the 6-year-old and found she indeed had severe bruising on her buttocks and legs,” McNatt said. “The boyfriend had spanked her and also her mother said she had spanked her.”

The two were released from the Limestone County Jail after each posted a $5,000 bond.

The child was removed from the home and placed with the DHR, McNatt said.

During this grand jury session, the following people were indicted on the following felonies:

• Carroll Jacob Campbell, possession/receiving a controlled substance

• Robert Edward Dobbins, first-degree theft by deception

• John William J. Franklin, first-degree theft of property

• Gary Eugene Jones, second-degree theft of property

• Troy Dale Lovell, first-degree criminal mischief