By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
The mother of a 4-year-old who was urinated on last week by a man who authorities say was drunk is demanding tougher charges.
Sayra Reaves’ son was using the bathroom at her mother-in-law’s home when police reports say Damian Lynn Holshouser, 41, of 225 Wagon Lane, went into the bathroom while the child was on the toilet and urinated on the boy.
Holshouser was charged with misdemeanor assault on a child under 12. He is also accused of assaulting his wife, Carla Holshouser, by grabbing her arms and jerking her.
He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a mandatory 48-hour hold, required for charges related to alleged domestic violence.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office also charged Holshouser with misdemeanor assault on a female and misdemeanor driving while impaired. He was given a written promise to appear in court. Holshouser is expected to be in District Court March 16.
Reaves said she and her husband were at her mother-in-law’s home moving her out of the home she shared with Holshouser.
When Reaves realized Holshouser was charged only with assault in her son’s case, “it just broke my heart,” she said.
Reaves said she believes Holshouser should be charged with indecent liberties on a child or some other sexual offense. She was told by a magistrate Holshouser could not be charged with a sexual offense because he did not physically touch her son with his genitals.
Reaves still believes more serious charges are warranted.
“He (Holshouser) urinated on his (my son’s) face, shirt and his private parts,” she said.
“You can charge with a number of things, but the charges made should be ones that you can get a conviction on,” said Rowan Sheriff’s Capt. John Sifford of the criteria for an indecent liberties charge.
Reaves admits she’s an angry mother seeking justice for her son, who has had nightmares since the incident.
He dreamed the next day that the man he knows as “PawPaw” was holding him down and urinating on him, Reaves recalled. Her children are not related to Holshouser.
The boy has had behavioral problems since then that Reaves believes are related to the incident.
The boy told his mother he didn’t want to talk about it when she asked him how he felt Thursday.
Reaves really hopes and prays her son forgets this incident, she said.
“I don’t want to have to answer to him as he gets older,” Reaves said.
She believes he will need some therapy.
“I’m struggling trying to explain to them that this is someone I had confidence in him being around them,” Reaves said.
She’s also dealing with letting her children down.
“I’m their mom and I’m supposed to protect them. I failed as a mother. I’m upset with myself and the judicial system,” she said.
Reaves said she feels a misdemeanor charge is not severe enough. “It’s a smack on the hand and I’m not satisfied with that,” especially she contends, since this is not the first time.
According to Reaves, Holshouser urinated on her and her 3-year-old son about a week before the incident in which he was arrested.
“We were outside and he (urinated) on the grass and then a little bit on me and my son,” she said.
Reaves has consulted, but not hired, an attorney.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.