Williamsburg Township man charged after infant suffers injury
Cody West, 25, of Williamsburg Township was indicted by a Clermont County grand jury March 14 for an incident that allegedly occurred Feb. 14.
West was charged with one count of endangering children, a felony of the third degree.
On Feb. 14 at 6:08 p.m., the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit was contacted by Clermont County Children’s Protective Services (CPS), who reported that a 1-year-old was at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with second-degree burns that were concerning to the medical team.
The Clermont County Communications Center had been contacted at 1:30 p.m. by the mother of the child victim, with the mother calling to report the injuries. Williamsburg Township EMS responded to the residence in the Village of Williamsburg and immediately treated and transported the child to Cincinnati Children’s.
After being notified by Clermont CPS, the Sheriff’s Office contacted the Williamsburg Police Department, which had responded to the earlier 911 call. At that time, the Williamsburg Police Department requested the assistance of the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit to determine the cause of the child’s injuries.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office responded directly to Children’s Hospital to interview the victim’s mother and father (West). It is alleged that the victim and a 2-year-old sibling were left alone inside the residence while West was outside in the driveway. West allegedly told detectives he came inside the residence and found the bathroom sink water running, steaming up the entire room. Her then noticed the victim crying on the floor with wet clothes. West allegedly told detectives that he removed the child’s clothing and described the skin on the child’s legs to look like “paper towels.”
At 1:09 p.m., West called the victim’s mother at work, telling her that she needed to come home. The victim’s mother responded home and called 911. Sheriff’s Office detectives and the Crime Scene Unit executed a search warrant at the residence to collect evidence and process the scene. While processing the scene, the Crime Scene Unit learned the residential water rapidly reached temperatures above 150 degrees.
West was cooperative with detectives and allegedly admitted he failed to immediately call 911 to get medical aid for the victim during the alleged incident.
An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
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