Red Level woman sentenced to 20 years in aggravated child abuse case
ANDALUSIA, Ala. (WDNews) — A former Red Level woman has been sentenced to the maximum prison term after pleading guilty to aggravated child abuse in a case described by prosecutors as one of the most severe ever handled in Covington County.
According to the Covington County District Attorney’s Office, Melinda Chance Lee, 60, pleaded guilty just as the child victims were preparing to testify. Lee was sentenced to 20 years in prison and is now incarcerated at Tutwiler Women’s Prison within the Alabama Department of Corrections.
The investigation began in 2022 after the Covington County Sheriff’s Office responded to Andalusia Health regarding the abuse of a six-year-old child. Authorities said the child was severely malnourished, badly bruised and suffering from significant burns. She was transferred to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile, where she underwent multiple surgeries, skin grafts and extended hospitalization.
Investigators also identified a second child, a nine-year-old sibling living in Lee’s home, who suffered significant mental and emotional abuse. Both children were forensically interviewed as part of the investigation, with members of the Covington County multi-disciplinary team traveling to Mobile to interview the younger child due to her medical condition.
Authorities said the children described repeated and extreme abuse. Allegations included confinement in a dog cage or closet, being forced to sleep unclothed on a laundry room floor, repeated beatings, prolonged ice baths intended to conceal bruising, chemical injuries to the eyes, and severe deep-tissue burns caused by an overheated rice sock duct-taped to the child’s body. Medical professionals later determined the child’s condition was so critical that death was believed to be imminent without medical intervention.
Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants at Lee’s residence. Investigators recovered several items of evidence that matched the children’s detailed accounts, including a rice sock, a belt, ice bags, hot sauce and parts of a dog crate.
Lee was interviewed by investigators and admitted to some of the conduct but attempted to shift blame to the children, according to court records.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Nikki Stephens. Prosecutors said Lee entered her guilty plea on the day the children were scheduled to be deposed. No plea agreement on sentencing was offered due to the severity of the abuse and the strength of the evidence.
Court records show Lee later filed a motion seeking to withdraw her guilty plea. That request was denied by the court, and the time for appeal has expired, making the conviction final.
District Attorney Walt Merrell said the case highlights the importance of Child Advocacy Centers and coordinated responses to child abuse investigations. Covington County Sheriff Blake Turman also credited the collaboration between local law enforcement, child advocacy professionals and prosecutors.
Officials said the children have since been adopted and are doing well.
