According to court documents, Martina Morales is accused of committing child abuse on March 17, a class A1 misdemeanor. The following day, a criminal summons was issued for her and delivered in person in the parking lot of Morales' subdivision.
The summons alleges that Morales "caused several bruises on the victim's buttock, scratch on the victim's left temple, scrape on the left side of the victim's neck, scratch on the victim's right collar bone, scrape on the victim's left side at their belt line, and was inflicted by other than accidental means."
North Carolina law allows discretion over whether to issue arrest warrants or criminal summons, even for serious misdemeanors and some felonies. Warrants are usually issued when the defendant is a flight risk, poses a danger, or is charged with a more serious crime. A summons, like the one Morales receives, means she was not arrested, but instead ordered to appear in court; Morales' court date is April 21.
According to records provided by the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, Morales was fired by Sheriff Brian Chism on March 19. The letter of termination, also provided by the sheriff's office, doesn't list a reason.
Morales was first hired as a part-time detention officer in June of 2021 and became a full-time employee several months later. After her most recent merit-based pay raise last summer, her salary was $53,313.
