Batavia Township woman charged with abusing a disabled child
The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office has announced that Jenna Caldwell, 32, of Batavia Township was indicted May 7 for an incident that allegedly occurred April 15.
A Clermont County grand jury returned an indictment on Caldwell on one count of endangering children, a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of domestic violence, a felony of the third degree.
On April 15, the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office was notified by Children’s Protective Services (CPS) of an intake referral regarding suspected physical abuse involving an 11-year-old. The referral, submitted anonymously, detailed the child’s disclosure and alleged that the injuries were caused by Caldwell. Detectives from the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office and CPS representatives visited the residence to assess the child’s well-being.
On April 26, the victim received medical attention at the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Doctors also noted a sizable bruise on the child’s upper left arm, consistent with an earlier disclosure by the victim during an interview with social workers. The medical professionals expressed concern that the bruise may be the result of physical abuse.
The victim has been diagnosed with impaired cognitive ability, mild intellectual disability and other developmental speech and language disorders.
An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
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