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BRANDYBERRY JR. |
A father, who told investigators he sometime slaps his 3-year-old son to toughen him up, has been charged for physically abusing the boy.
Franklin L. Brandyberry Jr., 30, of 217 E. Patterson Ave., faces charges of felony child endangering and felonious assault, officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department report.
A detective began looking into the case of child abuse Friday when officials at Nationwide Children’s Hospital alerted the police of the suspected abuse.
The suspect’s 3-year-old son was transported Sept. 1 from Bellefontaine to the Columbus medical facility for treatment of alleged seizures.
On Friday, the boy was released to Allen County Children’s Services and then flown back by helicopter after a computer scan review revealed two areas of bleeding on his brain.
Reports filed by police said medical professionals noted extensive bruising to child including his ears and injuries to his mouth.
Allen County has an open case of suspected abuse involving the boy and his mother and its children’s services and family courts maintain jurisdiction over the child.
He has been released from Children’s Hospital and is in Allen County’s protective custody.
In an initial interview with a detective, the defendant claimed the boy is very active and plays rough. Those factors along with his recent seizures, he claimed, led to the boy’s injuries.
Investigators did not believe him and asked him to appear at the department for another interview.
Authorities from Allen County informed detectives the suspect has shown no emotion regarding his son’s welfare nor was he willing to attend recent hearings for his son.
It was during the second interview that the defendant admitted slapping his son to make him tough.
Detectives also interviewed the defendant’s girlfriend Alyssa J. Ballesteros, also of 217 E. Patterson Ave. She is not listed as a suspect in the abuse.