According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron a Wayne County mother has been arrested after a complaint of a child being screamed at and having a piece of duct tape being placed a crossed their mouth.
On April 28, 2026, at approximately 3:23 pm, Wayne County 911 Dispatch Center gave out a complaint of a female screaming at, and yanking on a child while being parked in the back parking lot of the Wayne County Judicial Center. Multiple units with the Sheriff Office and the Monticello Police Department responded. As the vehicle started leaving the parking lot, Sheriff Catron conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle with Deputies Valis Smedley and Nick Bertram arriving on foot. Inside the vehicle four children were found with two of them having duct tape being placed across their mouths and nose areas by Deputy Bertram. Deputy Bertram immediately removed the duct tape from the children. While interviewing the female/mother by Deputy Smedley and Sheriff Catron she stated it was here children and she could discipline her children however she wanted and this act was routinely done.
Deputy Smedley charged and arrested Anna Bencosme of Monticello, Ky. formally of Panama City, FL., for 2 counts of strangulation-1st degree (domestic violence), 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, and 2 counts of wanton endangerment-1st degree.
Bencosme was lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center, while all of the children being released into the custody of their father.
Deputy Smedley also referred this case to the KY. Department of Child Protection Cabinet with that agency opening an investigation into all the children’s wellbeing’s.
The Sheriff Office was assisted at the scene by Monticello Police Department Officers Josh Smith, Jason Guffey and Wayne County Court Security Deputy Mark Abbott.
The investigation is continuing.