Mom says boyfriend wasn't involved in toddler beating case

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — The mother who pleaded guilty to beating her son told a jury her boyfriend had nothing to do with it.

Chad Pierre-Louis faces aggravated assault, battery and child cruelty charges.

Douglasville police said he and his girlfriend, Suzie Elie, took Elie's 3-year-old boy to a wooded area near Ashton Court last November and beat him because he was being disrespectful by waking up crying.

However, Elie took the stand Tuesday and said she beat the boy alone and Pierre-Louis wasn't involved.

"I beat my son. I overdid it. He had no part in what I did," Elie tearfully told the court.

Prosecutors believe otherwise. Witness Lauren Moonsars testified that she walked by while the child was being beaten and saw Pierre-Louis participating in the attack.

"I'm not sure I saw him push him but I saw him kick him," Moonsars testified.

Two other witnesses said they didn't see Pierre-Louis hit the child.

An officer testified that the couple took the child to the wooded area because they didn't want to beat him at home and wake up the child's grandmother.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday.

http://bcove.me/um7kpmjq

WSBTV