Crime Crime News 72-Year-Old Grandmother Accused of Beating 8-Year-Old Granddaughter to Death Patricia Ricks was the legal guardian of six grandchildren, police said By Elaine Aradillas Elaine Aradillas Elaine Aradillas is a former senior staff writer PEOPLE. She left PEOPLE in 2023. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 9, 2023 03:44PM EST Photo: Nash County Sheriff's Office/Facebook A 72-year-old North Carolina woman is accused of beating her 8-year-old granddaughter to death, according to a statement from the Nash County Sheriff's Office. Shortly after 4 p.m., deputies were notified that a child had been taken to the Emergency Room at Nash UNC Healthcare with severe injuries and pronounced dead upon arrival. "Based on the investigation, it was determined that the 8-year-old juvenile was beaten so severe by the grandmother that she died from the injuries," police alleged in its statement. "The child had severe injuries throughout her entire body and head." Patricia Ricks was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of felony child abuse with serious injury, police stated. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Ricks was the legal guardian of six children living inside her home, including the child who died from her injuries, Sheriff Keoth Stone said during a press conference. The surviving children were taken into state custody, he added. Ricks was taken to the sheriff's office where she made no statement, officials said in a statement. She is currently being held without bond at the Nash County Detention Center. It was unclear whether she obtained an attorney to speak on her behalf. Close