Lancaster Couple Arrested in Beating of Boy, Girl

A Lancaster man and woman suspected of trying to strangle the woman’s children after beating them with a pipe, stick and a belt were jailed Monday on attempted-murder charges.

Chivonne Campbell, 29, and Abraham Johnson, 38, were being held without bail at the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lancaster station.

Deputies arrested the couple after responding to a 911 call at 11:30 p.m. Sunday from a neighbor, Deputy Dan Burdick said.

The neighbor “said she heard children screaming, adult yelling and sounds of hitting,” Burdick said, adding that deputies found two of Campbell’s three children with numerous fresh welts, red marks and cuts on their arms, legs, back and face.

“It was obvious that two children had been beaten,” Burdick said of injuries to Campbell’s 11-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. “It was one of the more severe beating cases I’ve seen.”

Campbell’s children told authorities that their mother had beaten them in a fit of rage with a metal pipe, a broomstick and a leather belt, Burdick said.

The children said their mother then tried to strangle them with her hands, but was stopped by Johnson, Burdick said.

When the 7-year-old tried to crawl away, the children said, Johnson grabbed her and placed her back in front of her mother, who continued to beat her, deputies said. Campbell’s 9-year-old daughter--also present during the alleged beating--was not hurt.

The injured boy and girl were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital for treatment and later released. All three were placed in protective custody Monday.

The sheriff’s Family Crimes Bureau is seeking attempted-murder and child abuse charges against Campbell, and conspiracy in the alleged attempted murder and abuse charges against Johnson, Det. Susan Velazquez said.

“It is conspiracy because he brought the child back to her when she tried to get away, and he provided the mother with the belt,” Velazquez said.

Campbell has no prior criminal record of child abuse, Burdick said, adding that Johnson may have given deputies a phony name.

“The fact that the boyfriend is being uncooperative in allowing us to fingerprint him leads us to believe the name he’s giving us is fictitious,” Burdick said.