Washington County mother charged in death of 5-year-old son

A Washington County woman has been charged with causing abuse that resulted in the death Friday night of her 5-year-old autistic son, according to documents in Washington County District Court.

Catherine Thrasher, 30, who lives in a housing development north of Interstate 70 and west of Greencastle Pike, was charged Monday with first-degree abuse causing the death of a child younger than 13, according to court documents.

Thrasher also is charged with a first-degree count of causing abuse that resulted in severe physical injury to a child in her custody; a second-degree count of causing abuse of a child in her custody; causing sexual abuse to a child in her custody; first- and second-degree assault; and neglect of a minor, charging documents state.

Thrasher is the second person charged related to the abuse and death of her son.

Timothy Lee Haselden II, 33 and Thrasher's boyfriend, was charged Saturday with raping and abusing the boy, resulting in the child's death.

Haselden was charged with first-degree child abuse causing the death of a child younger than 13, according to charging documents. He also was charged with first- and second-degree rape; first- and second-degree assault; sex abuse of a minor; neglect of a minor; abuse of a child in his custody that resulted in severe physical injury; and second-degree abuse of a child in his custody.

Haselden's charging documents list his address as the same as Thrasher's, and she allegedly told a detective that Haselden was at her home when not working. Haselden's initial appearance document for this case lists his address as being on Spielman Road south of Williamsport.

Thrasher told authorities she has known Haselden for about five months and this was the second time he had watched her children unsupervised, according to court documents.

Thrasher was continuing to be held without bond on Tuesday at the Washington County Detention Center after her bond hearing was postponed until Friday. She was taken into custody at the Washington County Sheriff's Office on Monday following an "interview/interrogation," court records state.

Acting District Public Defender Eric Reed asked for a postponement due to a potential conflict of interest. Reed and the public defender's office represented Haselden, who has past criminal cases, at his Monday bond hearing. Reed said he plans to seek a different attorney for Thrasher.

Haselden continued to be held without bond after his bond hearing on Monday afternoon.

Initial results from medical examiner

A detective with the sheriff's office received information from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner's office on Saturday after the first of two examinations of the boy's body was finished. Medical examiner's staff concluded the boy had experienced "ongoing extensive internal and external blunt force trauma," court documents state.

The medical examiner's staff reported that the injuries that "most likely resulted" in the boy's death were "acutely sustained," but that there were "multiple injuries observed on and in his body consistent with ongoing abuse," court documents state.

According to court documents, Thrasher allegedly told sheriff's office officials that she and Haselden are the "only two caretakers for the children." She "continuously minimized or denied knowing about the abuse/trauma inflicted" on the boy, charging documents state.

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Upon arriving at the home on Friday, a deputy saw the boy's two siblings sleeping. The deputy found the children were not well kept and the youngest child appeared to have lesions and/or abrasions on his face, court documents state.

Washington County Assistant State's Attorney Danielle Lackovic told the judge during Haselden's bond hearing that the other two children had signs of being mistreated or abused. At least one of the siblings had been taken to Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The sibling was released from the hospital and both siblings were in foster care through Child Protective Services, according to an email late Tuesday morning from Detective Sgt. Howard Ward with the sheriff's office.

What led to an ambulance being called?

After dropping Thrasher off at work on Friday morning, Haselden was watching the three children. The 5-year-old boy became unresponsive and slumped after Haselden gave him a snack and his medication, and put a piece of muffin in the boy's mouth, according to court records. The boyfriend picked the boy up by his arms and noted the child was able to stand on his own with some assistance. Haselden allegedly noticed a brown substance coming from the boy's nose and put the boy on the "ground" and then the sofa.

Then Haselden called Thrasher at work to relay what happened, court documents state. Thrasher got a ride home and upon arriving, called 911 for medical assistance for her son.

Emergency medical personnel found the boy in cardiac arrest and a "working code," court records state. They told deputies the boy's injuries were consistent with "physical abuse/trauma," including new and old healed bruises over his entire body.

The boy's head was swollen, apparently from a potential skull fracture, and there were signs of strangulation, court records state.

Among the bruises was one on the boy's abdomen "that appears to be consistent with a palm print and a finger print," court documents state.

The boy was taken by ambulance to Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown. EMS had resuscitated the boy so he was no longer in cardiac arrest. Later, he was transferred to Children's National Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:32 p.m.

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Inconsistencies in statements

Addressing the boy's condition, Thrasher allegedly cited his medical ailments and fighting with a sibling, court documents state. She reported the boy was prone to seizures, but hadn't had one in "quite some time" and that his seizures do not result in convulsions.

Regarding bodily injuries related to the rape charges, Thrasher cited her son's "squatting down and sitting on the heels of his feet," court records state. She told a detective she had consulted with doctors who share medical records with the hospital about the boy's condition and she was directed to "remedy his ailments at home without medical intervention," according to court records.

A detective asked Meritus Medical Center officials to search the boy's medical history and they determined there were no records of the mother consulting with any doctors about the boy, court records state.

A trauma physician from Children's National Hospital told a detective the boy's injuries are "consistent with physical abuse" and that the mother's explanation of his condition "does not fit the injuries observed," court records state.

Court records also note inconsistencies between Thrasher's and Haselden's reports of what happened on Friday.

In her 911 call, Thrasher allegedly said her boyfriend brought the boy home "and he fell out of the vehicle and went like limp, and he's not breathing now," court records state.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 2:33 p.m. on Aug. 23, 2022, to correct which medical examiner's office was involved.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County woman charged in abuse death of 5-year-old son