Mom accused of pouring water on sleeping infant's face as 'payback'

SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) - A South Carolina mother was arrested after authorities said she poured bottled water on her sleeping 9-month-old baby's face.

Caitlin Alyse Hardy, 33, was charged with cruelty to children after several disturbing images and a video surfaced on social media, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said that on Jan. 26, Hardy caused ""ill-treatment, unnecessary pain and suffering, and/or deprivation of necessary sustenance upon a female minor child" after she poured water on her child's face and posted a video of it on Facebook.

After being poured with water the second time, the infant woke up coughing. A number of concerned people contacted the Sumter County Sheriff's Office regarding these images and video.

Screenshots of the post circulating on social media show the original post saying: "Payback for waking me up all kinda times of da night."

Deputies said they have notified the Sumter County Department of Social Services.

FOX 46 Charlotte reported on this story from Charlotte, N.C.