A Kentucky woman married to a local police officer has been indicted on four charges in connection with allegations that she sexually abused a young family member during a previous relationship.
Lauren Winans, 31, of Bardstown, was indicted by a grand jury earlier this week and arrested on Thursday, according to court records reported by KYStandard.
The charges include two counts of first-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree incest and one count of sexual abuse. Court documents identify the alleged victim in all four counts as a member of Winans’ family.
The indictment followed an investigation by Kentucky State Police.
Indictment Details Allegations Involving a Child Under 12
According to the indictment, the alleged offences occurred between January and November 2022.
One count accuses Winans of committing first-degree sodomy by engaging in deviate sexual intercourse with a person younger than 12 during that period.
Another count alleges that she committed incest involving a person under the age of 12. The remaining charges also relate to the same alleged victim and period.
The allegations have not been established in court.
Winans Released After Arrest on $250,000 Bond
Jail records indicate that Winans was held on a $250,000 cash-only bond following her arrest.
She was released on Friday morning, according to the records.
Winans is scheduled to be arraigned at Nelson Circuit Court on November 5.
Winans Is Married to Bardstown Police Officer
Winans is married to Andrew Winans, an officer with the Bardstown Police Department. He previously served as a deputy with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the report, Winans began sharing photographs of Andrew on her social media accounts in early 2024.
Before that, she had been in a relationship with Derrick Carrico. Photographs of Carrico and Winans with their daughter, shared on his Facebook page, indicate that they were together during the period in which the alleged offences occurred.
There is no suggestion that either Carrico or Andrew Winans was involved in the alleged offences.