A Roanoke Rapids woman was charged Tuesday with allegedly forcing her child to lie during a forensic interview related to a July child abuse investigation.

The warrant against Erica Barber charges that she did so to help Tony Creekmore avoid punishment in the case for which he was charged in July.

Major Anzell Harris of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Creekmore has also been charged with violating a court order and misdemeanor child abuse. He was previously charged with felony intentional child abuse and felony child abuse.

Harris said that during the continued investigation of the July child abuse case by the Halifax County Department of Social Services and the sheriff's office, Detective G. Keel discovered that another child in the household had been abused. The child had a bruise and a bump on their forehead that was allegedly inflicted by Creekmore striking them.

Creekmore had been ordered not to be around Barber or her children; however, investigators allegedly observed he was with them.

Barber was charged with aiding and abetting and accessory after the fact. She was arrested Tuesday during court in Halifax. She was denied bail and has a September 15 district court date.

Creekmore has not yet been served the outstanding warrants.

The sheriff's office said that at the time of the original investigation, Deputy J. Butler and Corporal M. Kalkbrenner responded to a domestic call on Coleus Lane in Roanoke Rapids and observed that a child had bruises and red marks on their legs.

Further investigation revealed the child had marks and bruises all over their body, and deputies determined the injuries appeared to have been inflicted by an extension cord because several of them appeared to be plug-shaped.