Johnson, Ritze bond set at $100,000 each
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Whitney Johnson and Nathan Ritze appeared before Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge David McKenna Wednesday morning.
Both Ritze, 25, and Johnson, 26, are being charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree.
The third-degree felony charge stems from December 2012, when, during a law enforcement investigation, they allegedly did "alter, destroy, conceal or remove" evidence. The charge carries a penitentiary sentence of up to 36 months.
The fifth-degree felony charge also stems from Dec. 18, 2012, as the suspects are charged with treating "a human corpse in a way that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities." The charge can carry a penitentiary sentence of up to 12 months.
McKenna placed bond for each suspect at $100,000.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, June 13, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the case to the grand jury.
Both Ritze and Johnson asked to apply for a court-appointed attorney. On Thursday, Conrad Curren was appointed to serve as legal counsel for Johnson, while J.D. Wagoner will serve as Ritze's attorney.
McKenna ordered that Ritze and Johnson are "not to be in contact while the case is pending."[[In-content Ad]]
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, on May 30 at 11:53 p.m., the Hillsboro Police Department received a report of a suspicious death of a 1-year-old child. The remains of a small child were found in a wooded area off of Diven Road.
According to WCPO, police also reported that Johnson, the mother of the child, and Ritze, the mother's boyfriend, told the property owners where the 1-year-old was found that they were going to bury a “small dog.”
Through interviews, a Diven Road location was obtained to look for the body of the 1-year-old-child. Highland County Coroner Dr. Jeff Beery told The Highland County Press that his office released the 1-year-old's body to the forensic pathologists at the Montgomery County Coroner's Office for an autopsy.
The Richmond, Ky. Police Department was contacted for assistance in this case, as the suspects, along with Johnson's two other children, were listed as living in Richmond. When the Richmond, Ky. Police Department went to the couple's residence, the two children were located. It is believed Ritze fled the home. The mother was located at her workplace. Johnson was taken to the Richmond Police Department for an interview. Ritze was later apprehended.
Thompson said that the HPD received a call in December 2012 regarding alleged abuse. The department turned the case over to Highland County Children's Services.
When asked Wednesday if the Highland County Board of Commissioners would be meeting with Children Services to discuss HCCS' involvement with the family, Commission President Shane Wilkin said that Job and Family Services Director Debbie Robbins (who has oversight of Children Services since the commissioners voted on Dec. 22, 2010, to merge Children Services with Job & Family Services to create the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services/Child Support Enforcement and Child Protective Services Agency) was "out of town and on vacation."
Both Ritze, 25, and Johnson, 26, are being charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree.
The third-degree felony charge stems from December 2012, when, during a law enforcement investigation, they allegedly did "alter, destroy, conceal or remove" evidence. The charge carries a penitentiary sentence of up to 36 months.
The fifth-degree felony charge also stems from Dec. 18, 2012, as the suspects are charged with treating "a human corpse in a way that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities." The charge can carry a penitentiary sentence of up to 12 months.
McKenna placed bond for each suspect at $100,000.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, June 13, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the case to the grand jury.
Both Ritze and Johnson asked to apply for a court-appointed attorney. On Thursday, Conrad Curren was appointed to serve as legal counsel for Johnson, while J.D. Wagoner will serve as Ritze's attorney.
McKenna ordered that Ritze and Johnson are "not to be in contact while the case is pending."[[In-content Ad]]
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, on May 30 at 11:53 p.m., the Hillsboro Police Department received a report of a suspicious death of a 1-year-old child. The remains of a small child were found in a wooded area off of Diven Road.
According to WCPO, police also reported that Johnson, the mother of the child, and Ritze, the mother's boyfriend, told the property owners where the 1-year-old was found that they were going to bury a “small dog.”
Through interviews, a Diven Road location was obtained to look for the body of the 1-year-old-child. Highland County Coroner Dr. Jeff Beery told The Highland County Press that his office released the 1-year-old's body to the forensic pathologists at the Montgomery County Coroner's Office for an autopsy.
The Richmond, Ky. Police Department was contacted for assistance in this case, as the suspects, along with Johnson's two other children, were listed as living in Richmond. When the Richmond, Ky. Police Department went to the couple's residence, the two children were located. It is believed Ritze fled the home. The mother was located at her workplace. Johnson was taken to the Richmond Police Department for an interview. Ritze was later apprehended.
Thompson said that the HPD received a call in December 2012 regarding alleged abuse. The department turned the case over to Highland County Children's Services.
When asked Wednesday if the Highland County Board of Commissioners would be meeting with Children Services to discuss HCCS' involvement with the family, Commission President Shane Wilkin said that Job and Family Services Director Debbie Robbins (who has oversight of Children Services since the commissioners voted on Dec. 22, 2010, to merge Children Services with Job & Family Services to create the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services/Child Support Enforcement and Child Protective Services Agency) was "out of town and on vacation."
Wilkin added "I'm sure we will be" meeting on this.
There was also concern for the welfare of two other children in the home, who have since been placed in custody of Kentucky Children Services.