Trial date set for three accused in child's death

Jessica Farrish, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·2 min read

Sep. 22—Three defendants who were arrested in 2018 for the death of an 8-year-old Oak Hill girl will go to trial Oct. 22 before Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Paul Blake.

Marty Browning Jr. and Julie Titchenell Browning of Hilltop and Sherie Titchenell were arrested in December 2019, all on one charge each of death of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian. Each was also charged with abuse and neglect of a child resulting in death. Both are felonies.

All are being tried together.

Each defendant is accused of torturing and causing the death of Marty's daughter, 8-year-old Raylee Browning, who died at Plateau Medical Center on Dec. 26, 2018, of rare complications caused by untreated pneumonia. Her body was covered in bruises and scratches, and PMC medical workers reported the girl had a torn rectum.

Raylee was under the care of Child Protective Services (CPS) when she died.

Raylee's mother, Janice Wriston, alleged that she had made reports that Raylee was being sexually and physically abused at Marty's house to CPS, Fayette Family Court and West Virginia State Police but that the state forced her to return Raylee to her father, despite the girl's reported objections.

Fayette officials have reported that the criminal investigation was initially stalled by West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR), which allegedly refused to quickly provide records to police and, later, allegedly provided only partial records.

Fayetteville attorney Anthony Salvatore has since filed a civil case on Wriston's behalf against WVDHHR, alleging that CPS workers lied on official documents to cover the agency's negligence after Raylee died and that the agency later hid and destroyed records related to the case.

----Raleigh County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brian Parsons is serving as special prosecutor and will present the state's case at trial.

Parsons is the third prosecutor on the case, which has been complicated by WVDHHR reportedly refusing to cooperate with the police investigation, alleged falsification of officials DHHR records, a refusal by Facebook in June 2019 to honor a Fayette magistrate's order for potential evidence, widespread public interest in Raylee's death, extensive media coverage and a longer-than-average wait between the arrest of the defendants and their indictments by grand jurors.

Initially, former Fayette Prosecuting Assistant Attorney Liz Campbell was to try the three defendants.

Campbell resigned shortly after current Fayette Prosecuting Attorney Anthony Ciliberti began to serve in January 2021.

Ciliberti recused himself from the case immediately, citing a conflict of interest. His wife, Carrie Ciliberti, was Raylee's elementary school teacher and is expected to be called as a witness in the case.

Parsons, a former Fayette assistant prosecuting attorney, was appointed special prosecutor on Jan. 8.