Former DHS worker pleads guilty to child abuse charge

<p align="justify"> (Oklahoma City-AP) -- A former child welfare specialist at the state Department of Human Services will serve a five-year deferred sentence after pleading guilty to child abuse.<br><p

Wednesday, January 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A former child welfare specialist at the state Department of Human Services will serve a five-year deferred sentence after pleading guilty to child abuse.

Ralpheal Hutton was charged with injuring a 10-year-old boy he had adopted after the child's biological parents physically abused him.

The boy was found with several belt marks around his head, neck and shoulders, and a bite mark was found on his shoulder.

Oklahoma County District Judge Ray Elliott also ordered Hutton to attend anger impulse counseling as part of his sentence.

Hutton resigned from D-H-S in July 2000.