A Texas man, 52-year-old Cody Wayne Ainsworth, has been arrested and charged with three counts of child injury following allegations of severe abuse against his young grandchildren. Ainsworth was taken into custody last week after the Bruceville-Eddy Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting potential child abuse at a residence in Waco, approximately 100 miles south of Dallas.
The call was made by Ainsworth’s stepdaughter, who is also the mother of his three grandchildren. She reported an argument with Ainsworth over his treatment of her children. The mother detailed a disturbing incident where Ainsworth allegedly became irate when her 7-year-old son used his body wash to create extra bubbles in the bath. Ainsworth reportedly forced the child to place his hand on the kitchen table and proceeded to repeatedly smash the child’s hand with his own, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The mother also claimed that this form of punishment was not uncommon for Ainsworth. She alleged that he regularly used profanity and adult language when addressing the children, often threatening them with physical violence.
Further evidence was provided by Ainsworth’s wife, the children’s grandmother, who shared a series of recordings with investigators. In these recordings, Ainsworth can allegedly be heard threatening the children. The grandmother can also be heard reprimanding her husband for his treatment of the grandchildren, accusing him of treating them like dogs and speaking to them as if they were adults, which she identified as child abuse.
As the investigation progressed, a school nurse reported a conversation with one of the boys who claimed he had injured his back when “Grandpa Cody” tackled him. A teacher also provided documentation of one child’s frequent physical discomforts, including injuries to his stomach, feet, cheek, chin, and elbows.
During forensic interviews, the youngest victim, a 4-year-old boy, reportedly told authorities that he was afraid of Ainsworth, who he claimed had used a belt to hit him on his stomach. Ainsworth was held in the McLennan County Jail on a $150,000 bond and has since bonded out. His court date has not yet been announced.