Child endangerment cases stemming from frostbite injury bound over
The cases against two Quaker City residents charged with child endangering after their 6-year-old son suffered severe frostbite have been bound over to the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court.
Darrick R. Looney, 41, and Kendra M. Stump, 34, each face one count of felony child endangering filed in the Cambridge Municipal Court on Feb. 1 following their arrest by Guernsey County sheriff's deputies.
Judge John Mark Nicholson found probable cause Looney committed the crime during a preliminary hearing Thursday and bound the case over to the common pleas court.
More: Parents face felony endangering charges after boy, 6, suffers frostbite injury
An evidence hearing for an alleged probation violation associated with the case was scheduled for Feb. 24 during Looney's appearance in court Thursday.
Looney was previously convicted of a misdemeanor charge for receiving stolen property and sentenced to probation.
Bond for Looney in the child endangering case was continued at $15,000 with no 10% allowed, but the court ordered he be held in the Guernsey County Jail without bond for the alleged probation violation after being convicted in December.
He remains incarcerated in the county jail.
Meanwhile, Stump waived her right to a preliminary plea earlier after requesting the hearing during an arraignment hearing the day after charges were filed. Her case was then bound over to the common pleas court.
A personal recognizance bond with special conditions was continued for Stump, according to online court records.
According to reports at the sheriff's office, deputies were dispatched to a Smith Avenue home in Quaker City at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 to conduct a well-being check on the young boy.
Barnesville Hospital staff reported the boy's mother brought him to the facility with severe injuries believed to be frostbite on his hands.
Sheriff Jeff Paden said once the medical staff informed the mother of the severity of the injuries and that he would need to be immediately transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital by ambulance, she took the boy and left the hospital.
Deputies reportedly located the boy, his mother and father, and an 11-year-old sibling at the Smith Avenue residence.
During the well-being check and preliminary investigation, deputies viewed the boy’s hands and summoned United Ambulance to transport him to Southeastern Med in Cambridge.
The boy was later transferred to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, where he was admitted for treatment.
Authorities declined to release further information regarding the boy's injuries or condition citing HIPPA regulations.
A search warrant was executed at the residence at 6 p.m. on Jan. 29 and evidence was collected by detectives. The report did not say what items were seized.
Detectives met with Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Angler on Jan. 30 prior to charges being filed by her office.
The investigation by the sheriff's office continues.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Child endangerment cases bound over
