Unionville Woman Charged With Multiple Counts of Child Abuse

UNIONVILLE, MO- Putnam County authorities have charged a Unionville woman with six felony counts stemming from an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Sixty-six-year-old Debra Phillips is alleged to have injured a 5-year-old girl under her care. Investigators say that through their investigation, they discovered Phillips often restrained the girl with zip ties around her wrists and ankles to a piece of plywood. They say she also placed ice packs under her arms and behind her knees in an attempt to calm her down. It is further alleged Phillips bound the 5-year-old’s wrists together with zip ties and then tied them to a twine rope and suspended the girl from the ceiling while gagging her with socks.

Further investigation by the officers allegedly revealed that the girl and her 16-year-old sibling were required to sleep on a plywood board in the bathroom or garage. Officers say the 16-year-old girl was struck if she attempted to intervene with Phillips punishing the younger child.

Phillips is facing charges of domestic abuse, child abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child. She is incarcerated in the Daviess DeKalb Regional Jail.  Bond has been denied.