A 41-year-old North Carolina mother has been charged with felony childcare in a sex offender home and misdemeanor child abuse after authorities allege she allowed a registered sex offender to babysit, bathe, and care for her 5-year-old daughter without supervision for months.
Candice Angela Malone was arrested Aug. 21 and remains held in the Caldwell County Detention Center on $50,000 bond, jail records show. She is accused of knowingly placing her young daughter in danger by permitting a man with multiple prior convictions for crimes against children to have unsupervised access to the child.
Background
According to an arrest warrant from the Lenoir Police Department, Malone permitted 46-year-old Dale Ray Turner to babysit and care for her daughter despite being aware of his sex offender status since early this year. The warrant states that county social services workers had previously advised Malone not to allow Turner around her children.
"Yet she continued to let him live in the home with her and care for the child," the warrant alleges.
Turner's criminal history spans multiple states, according to court records. He was convicted in Delaware in 2010 of raping a victim under age 16 and was later convicted in Pennsylvania in 2013 of indecent assault and sex offense against a child. Turner was registered as a sex offender following those convictions.
The Investigation
Malone was charged with one count of felony childcare in a sex offender home, a charge that specifically addresses placing children under age 16 in the care of a registered sex offender. She also faces a single count of misdemeanor child abuse alleging she created a substantial risk of physical injury to her daughter by permitting Turner "to take care of her child without her present."
The investigation began after authorities say they discovered the girl had been victimized during periods when Turner was left alone with her. Court documents allege Turner took photographs of the child while she was in the bathtub.
Turner himself was arrested earlier this month and charged with child abuse, failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements, and failure to maintain proper online identifier registration as required under state law. He is being held on $55,000 bond.
Both cases remain under investigation by the Lenoir Police Department in coordination with Caldwell County authorities.
Key Takeaways
- Candice Angela Malone, 41, has been charged with felony childcare in a sex offender home and misdemeanor child abuse for allegedly allowing Turner unsupervised access to her daughter since at least early this year
- Dale Ray Turner, 46, is a registered sex offender previously convicted of raping a child under 16 in Delaware (2010) and indecent assault against a child in Pennsylvania (2013)
- County social services had warned Malone not to allow Turner around her children before she allegedly permitted him to babysit the girl unsupervised
- The 5-year-old victim was allegedly photographed by Turner while in the bathtub, according to court documents
- Both suspects remain in custody as of Wednesday — Malone on $50,000 bond and Turner on $55,000 bond
What's Next
Malone is expected to make her first appearance in Caldwell County District Court where she will enter a plea to the charges. Turner's case also remains pending as authorities continue building their prosecution files.
Investigators say they are working with child welfare services to ensure the victim's safety and access to support resources. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges cannot be ruled out as more evidence surfaces.