The Christian County Grand Jury returned several child abuse indictments Friday.
26-year old Donnie Ray Freeman and 22-year old Courtney Lynn Harper, both of Hopkinsville, were each indicted on two counts of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under.
According to Hopkinsville police, Harper and 25-year old Jessica Maddux allegedly hit a 6-year old and a 5-year old with a spoon during July 13th and 14th, causing severe bruising to each child. Police said Maddux’s boyfriend, Donnie Freeman, also hit the children with his hand causing serious physical injury.
According to court records, Maddux was also charged with two counts of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under. She was indicted by a grand jury on August 10th and arraigned in Christian Circuit Court on September 1st. Her next court appearance is October 20th before Judge Andrew Self.
The grand jury returned a true bill against 21-year old Michael Jakhenry Croney of Hopkinsville on a charge of first-degree criminal abuse child 12 or under.
The charge stems from between July 24 and July 25 when Hopkinsville police say Croney hit his 5-month child repeatedly at Morris Estates when the child woke him up. Police say the child had significant bruising on his lower back down to his knee.
And 33-year old Porche Lanae Slappy of Hopkinsville was indicted on charges of first-degree criminal abuse child under 12 and second-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 years of age.
The charges are from an investigation involving child services after Hopkinsville police reportedly found Slappy’s two children in a home with no working toilet on March 23rd. Officers said they also found rotting food in the refrigerator and the children were malnourished. Police said one of the children had a special diet and medication that was not being provided to the child which led to a medical emergency after the child was removed from the home.
