By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Salisbury mother is facing child abuse charges after she called police to remove her teenage son from the house. Police say while they were there, the son told them his mother choked him, according to a Salisbury Police Department report.

Joyce Anne Murphy, 46, of the 1200 block Mirror Park Drive, was charged with the misdemeanor offense on Saturday. Police went to the home in reference to a disturbance. Murphy called to say that she wanted her son and his friend thrown out of her house, said Police Spokesman Lt. Greg Beam.

The officer told the woman he couldn’t remove her son because he was a minor. The son told the officer his mother has a drug problem and was becoming abusive lately, Beam said. The teen told the officer on a previous occasion his mother choked him and threw him onto a bed.

Murphy admitted she did choke her son and throw him onto the bed, Beam said.

Police said the reason for the initial call was because Murphy asked her son to wash the dog and she was not happy with the way he washed the dog, Beam said. Police notified the Rowan County Department of Social Services regarding the incident.

Murphy was issued a $7,500 secured bond. She has since been released from the Rowan County jail.