Police: Edwardsville man put son in clothes dryer

By Ryan Dean

KSDK -- An Edwardsville father is behind bars for abusing his two-year-old son.

Police said the abuse happened over the past three weeks at a home in the 3600 block of Edwardsville Road. They learned about what was going on when someone who knew the family called an abuse hotline.

"The hotline in this case saved this child's life," said Capt. Brad Wells of the Madison County Sheriff's Department.

Twenty-two-year-old Derek Hill, Sr. is charged with aggravated battery of a child.

Investigators said the boy has bruises and scratches on him. Police learned during the investigation the child was beaten with a belt, had a cigarette burn on his cheek, and they said Hill put his son in a clothes dryer for at least a minute.

"The bad thing about it is you wouldn't want this to happen to anybody, much less a two-year-old child, it's not right," Wells said.

Police said they learned why Hill allegedly abused his son.

"We believe this was all done because the two-year-old soiled his diaper," Wells said.

Police also charged the mother, 27-year-old Eva Hill. They said she was not home while the abuse was happening, but she knew about it.

Eva Hill's stepfather said the family just doesn't know what to think right now. He said they're surprised by the arrest because they never witnessed abuse.

"I don't understand him now, I used to get along with him pretty well but now I lost all respect of him," George Smith said.

The couple also has a one-year-old. Police don't believe that child was abused but they say they are investigating.

Both children were taken into protective custody by DCFS. The parents remain at the Madison County Jail on $50,000 bond pending formal charges.