Proctor infant out of hospital, into foster care

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The infant girl who was placed into a medically-induced coma after she was allegedly shaken by her father is out of the hospital and staying in foster care, while her father’s case will go before the Highland County Grand Jury on Tuesday.

Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins said Friday that the baby was released from the hospital last week and both she and her 8-year-old brother are under the protection of Children Services and staying in foster homes, as she had told The Times-Gazette last week would likely happen.

Previously, Collins told The Times-Gazette that hospital officials in Cincinnati found evidence of a “healing hairline fracture to the left tibia.” Collins said the finding “may indicate prior abuse.” Collins said Friday that the infant is receiving regular medical follow-up care.

The baby’s father, Martin Proctor, 27, Hillsboro, was arrested March 15 by the Hillsboro Police Department and charged with felonious assault in regard to the injuries to the baby, which occurred when she was just a month old. He is being held on $50,000 bond at the Highland County Justice Center. His case was waived this week from Hillsboro Municipal Court and bound over to Highland County Common Pleas Court for presentation to the grand jury, which meets the first Tuesday of each month. Hillsboro defense attorney Lee Koogler has been appointed to represent Proctor.

Collins said Friday she will ask the grand jury to indict Proctor for felonious assault, the same charge he faced upon his arrest.

The case first came to light March 15 when the local Children Services agency filed a request with Highland County Juvenile Judge Kevin Greer for protective custody of the baby and her brother after the infant was taken to Highland District Hospital on March 12, then transferred by life squad to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was sedated into a coma due to seizures.

Greer granted the custody order, calling the circumstances of the baby’s injuries “horrific” as Proctor and the baby’s mother sat in the courtroom during the hearing. Proctor was arrested and charged a few hours later by the Hillsboro Police Department.

The filing in juvenile court stated that the father claimed he had been home with both children when he “tripped over a cord which caused him to drop (the baby). Father stated that (the baby) then began to cry, he could not get her to stop crying, he shook her and she went limp. Father reported that (the baby) then began crying so hard she turned purple and began to seize.”

However, the court document stated that there were statements from others who said they heard the father yelling and what sounded like him punching the walls. They said they heard him yell at the baby’s mother to “shut the (expletive) baby up” prior to her leaving for work.

Approximately two weeks prior, the older child was seen to have what appeared to be a black eye, and the father told people he had punched the child, according to the filing. Law enforcement “has an ongoing criminal investigation involving this family,” according to the filing.

Reach Gary Abernathy at 937-393-3456 or by email at [email protected].

Proctor
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2017/03/web1_Proctor-Martin-3.jpgProctor
Father’s case to be taken to grand jury Tuesday

By Gary Abernathy

[email protected]

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