A Fairfax County mother previously jailed for sticking her young children with sewing needles is now being charged with beating her son with plastic clothes hangers.
Xin Riu Lin, 38, of Chantilly, Va. was arrested after a Child Protective Services worker reported seeing bruises, scratches and puncture wounds on her 8-year-old son's body. Prosecutors accused Lin of beating the child with plastic clothing hangers and charged her with child cruelty.
Lin was charged with child cruelty five years ago. In 2010, her then-3-year-old son was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Doctors found a sewing needle embedded in his buttocks.
As police investigated, Lin admitted she had repeatedly pricked the boy and his 5-year-old sister in the hands, feet and legs with sewing needles when she got angry, prosecutors said. She pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse and served a short jail term.
Lin is divorced from the children's father, according to court documents. News4 asked him about the abuse allegations, but he declined to comment.
Neighbor Robert Holmes said he saw Lin and her children regularly and that he was stunned by the charges.
"She was very nice with the kids," he said. "They often went for walks around the neighborhood."
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A Fairfax County Department of Family Services representative declined to address where Lin's children are now, citing privacy concerns.
