Warren County man indicted on child abuse charge

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Matthew Hudson Barnes has been officially indicted on a child abuse charge in Warren County. Barnes was first arrested back in December 2024 after a 4-month-old child sustained injuries.

Now that Barnes has been indicted, the Warren County District Attorney’s Office is handling the case. The matter could proceed to trial or be resolved through a plea agreement.

Information from initial arrest:

According to Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, Lt. Stacy Rollison of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department was first notified by staff at River Region Emergency Room on December 13. The 4-month-old infant had multiple broken ribs and was subsequently transferred to a medical facility in Jackson for further treatment.

On December 16, Matthew Hudson Barnes, 28, turned himself in to authorities at 10 a.m. He was charged with felony child abuse and appeared before Judge James Jefferson, who set his bond at $20,000. Barnes has been ordered to have no contact with the victim, and the Department of Child Protection Services has placed the child into protective care.