West Virginia woman punishes her 7-year-old stepdaughter. Then she allegedly grabs a belt because the girl said it didn’t hurt: ‘should feel pain’

A 7-year-old West Virginia girl told her stepmother that her punishment didn’t hurt. According to investigators, the woman responded by grabbing a belt and insisting the child “should feel pain.” School employees later discovered bruises on the girl’s arms, hand, and lower back.

Her stepmother, MaCayla Ashton Johnson, 24, now faces a child abuse charge in Randolph County. According to WDTV, the girl’s father contacted her school after the incident, telling staff that the punishment had “gone too far.”

He reportedly wanted employees to know what happened before they noticed his daughter’s injuries. School staff later alerted authorities, who questioned Johnson about the incident.

Johnson reportedly used a belt on the girl before

Johnson reportedly told detectives she normally disciplined her stepdaughter with an “open palm” but acknowledged using a belt on two previous occasions. According to Law&Crime, she described holding only four to five inches of the tip opposite the buckle when striking the child.

During the latest incident, Johnson allegedly took the girl into a bathroom and struck her twice. The child moved between the toilet and bathtub while attempting to avoid the blows.

“Stop, if the punishment don’t hurt, why are you fighting it?” Johnson reportedly asked, according to court documents cited by WDTV.

When investigators asked about the bruises, Johnson allegedly explained that the girl sustained them while using her hands and arms to shield herself. She also described feeling overwhelmed following a family member’s death, telling detectives she had “been going through a lot” and felt “bombarded.” When asked whether she believed she had taken the punishment too far, Johnson reportedly acknowledged that she had.

Using an object like a belt can make physical abuse more likely to cause injuries. A study archived by the CDC found that 59.3% of abusive incidents involving an object resulted in injuries, compared with 38.5% of those without. Other cases in which adults allegedly struck children with belts have continued to raise concerns about repeated physical punishment.

The girl’s school contacted authorities

On September 15, a Randolph County Schools employee reported suspected abuse to the sheriff’s office. Staff had observed the girl’s injuries and referred the matter to Child Protective Services. Investigators also requested photographs of the bruising.

Schools are among the most common sources of suspected child abuse reports nationwide. In another account previously covered by TMS, a Louisiana woman described how her teachers repeatedly contacted Child Protective Services over alleged abuse at home. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Maltreatment 2024 report, education personnel accounted for 20.8% of reports accepted for investigation or assessment. Law enforcement and legal personnel accounted for 21.8%.

Nationwide, child welfare agencies received approximately 4.37 million referrals involving suspected abuse or neglect in 2024, with roughly 2.06 million accepted for further investigation or assessment. These figures concern allegations, not confirmed abuse. School employees don’t need proof that abuse occurred before reporting suspected maltreatment.

Though, under West Virginia law, educators must report suspected child abuse immediately, and no later than 24 hours after developing reasonable suspicion. Educators must also immediately notify law enforcement when they suspect serious physical abuse.

Johnson pleaded not guilty to the child abuse charge on October 17. According to Law&Crime, Johnson remains at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond. Court officials have not publicly announced the date of her next appearance.

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