Hall County mother charged with child cruelty

HALL COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - A shocking case of child abuse in Hall County where investigators said a mother falsified her son's medical condition for financial gain.

The boys' mother Teresa Lynn Roth has been booked into Hall County Jail on a charge of first-degree child cruelty.

At her home on Lula Road, there's a yellow "medical oxygen in use" plaque next to the front door.

The neighbor, who didn't want his face shown, said he often saw a young boy in a wheelchair at the home.

"I mean he can't speak well... and he couldn't walk most of the time," he said.

Derreck Booth, a spokesman for the Hall County Sheriff's Office told FOX 5 News 34-year-old Teresa Lynn Roth had been exposing her son, who is now 5, to unnecessary treatments including medications and a feeding tube.

"The young man had a G.I. tube and was in a wheel chair and so through the investigation it was discovered that the young man was not in need of those treatments," said Booth.

He said the investigation revealed between January 2016 until October of last year Roth caused her son unnecessary physical and mental pain with unnecessary treatment for money.

"The parents were drawing disability on the child's behalf," said Booth.

The next door neighbor wasn't sure what to think after learning of the allegations against Roth "I mean I find it hard to believe knowing what I saw in the kid," he said

The neighbor told FOX 5 News Roth told him she had been taking her son to a specialist in Augusta. He said at one point he even saw a medical helicopter land nearby to transport the child.

Investigators said the case came to light in October when Children's Health Care of Atlanta contacted DFACS.

The boy has since been placed in state custody.

"The young man is doing well in care," said Booth.

He said other arrests are still possible.

Roth remains behind bars without bond.