Morganton Woman Faces Child Abuse, Methamphetamine Charges

MORGANTON, N.C. — A Morganton woman is facing child abuse and drug charges after authorities allege a 7-year-old boy suffered multiple burns and did not receive medical attention.

Heather Leann Poovey, 34, was arrested Sunday by the Morganton Department of Public Safety. She was booked into the Burke County Jail shortly after midnight Monday on a misdemeanor charge of child abuse.

According to a magistrate's order, the child was allegedly burned multiple times with a lighter by a 10-year-old sibling. The document describes burns on the boy's abdomen and both arms.

One burn on the child's abdomen was described as approximately 11 inches wide by 8 inches tall. Authorities said the injuries were readily visible, with scabbing and redness surrounding the burns.

The charging document alleges Poovey did not seek medical attention for the child.

The listed offense date is August 1.

Additional Drug Charge

Poovey was facing another charge less than an hour after being booked into the Burke County Jail.

A second magistrate's order accuses Poovey of possessing methamphetamine on the premises of the jail, a Class H felony. The magistrate's written findings state that jail staff allegedly found methamphetamine on Poovey following her initial appearance.

Bond was set at $5,000 secured on each charge.

As a condition of release in the child abuse case, Poovey was ordered to have no unsupervised visitation with the child. The order also states that, according to the arresting officer, the Department of Social Services had taken custody of Poovey's children.

Previous Court History

The magistrate's release order also includes information about Poovey's previous court history.

According to the order, previous dismissed charges involving children included a misdemeanor child abuse charge, two counts related to failing to secure a child in a motor vehicle and a school attendance violation.

The magistrate also noted that Poovey has a history of failing to appear in court. The order states that charges from the past 10 or more years had primarily involved traffic offenses or citations, with earlier misdemeanor convictions described as minor.

Burke County court records show a school attendance case was filed in May 2025 over an offense dating to 2024. Prosecutors dismissed that case in March.

An earlier child abuse charge filed in Burke County in 2012 was also dismissed.

What Happens Next

Court records list an August 17 court date in the child abuse case and a Monday court date in the drug case, both at the Burke County Courthouse in Morganton.

Poovey has not been convicted of either charge. The allegations contained in the charging documents are accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.