Man pleads guilty to child abuse
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
July 26, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/man-pleads-guilty-to-child-abuse/article_48ae89b8-5b0f-11e7-b506-10604b9f0f42.html
A West Paducah man accused of severely abusing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son took a plea agreement Monday in McCracken Circuit Court.
Jarell Hardin, 25, was initially charged with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal abuse of a child younger than 12, second-degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In court Monday, Commonwealth Attorney Zac Greenwell, who was assigned to the case as a special prosecutor, said Hardin pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree assault and second-degree criminal abuse.
Greenwell said the tampering with physical evidence charge was dismissed and Hardin pleaded to the remaining misdemeanor charges.
The commonwealth attorney said he recommended Hardin serve 10 years on the second-degree assault charge and two years on the second-degree criminal abuse offense, terms to run consecutively for a total of 12 years.
As for the misdemeanors, Greenwell recommended 45 days for the possession of marijuana charge, 12 months for the second-degree wanton endangerment charge and 12 months for the possession of drug paraphernalia offense. Those terms, he said, would run concurrently to the 12 years.
The agreement also stipulates that Hardin is to comply with all family court orders concerning the child.
Hardin’s co-defendant, Taylor Sloan, 21, the child’s mother, pleaded out June 27, admitting her son had been subjected to significant abuse that caused severe physical injuries.
The commonwealth recommended Sloan serve five years in prison on the abuse charge, 45 days for the marijuana charge, and one year each for the drug paraphernalia and wanton endangerment offenses, all to run concurrently.
Sloan and Hardin were charged following a month-long investigation that began in May 2015 following a report of possible child abuse from Kentucky Health and Family Services.
McCracken Detective Capt. Matt Carter said a 28-month-old boy was taken to a hospital with multiple injuries, prompting doctors to alert Family Services.
Due to the severity, the child was transferred to an out-of-state hospital.
Doctors at the hospital considered the number and severity of the injuries and determined the boy had endured “severe child abuse,” deputies reported.
After further investigation, warrants were issued for Hardin’s and Sloan’s arrests, and the couple turned themselves in.
During an Aug. 28 bond hearing, Carter testified the toddler “sustained broken bones from head to toe,” which included skull fractures and brain bleeds, as well as fractures to both arms, broken ribs, a broken femur and a laceration to his lip that required sutures.
Carter said doctors also found evidence of healed fractures that may indicate previous abuse.
The couple is scheduled to appear Sept. 9 for sentencing.
Jarell Hardin, 25, was initially charged with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal abuse of a child younger than 12, second-degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In court Monday, Commonwealth Attorney Zac Greenwell, who was assigned to the case as a special prosecutor, said Hardin pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree assault and second-degree criminal abuse.
Greenwell said the tampering with physical evidence charge was dismissed and Hardin pleaded to the remaining misdemeanor charges.
The commonwealth attorney said he recommended Hardin serve 10 years on the second-degree assault charge and two years on the second-degree criminal abuse offense, terms to run consecutively for a total of 12 years.
As for the misdemeanors, Greenwell recommended 45 days for the possession of marijuana charge, 12 months for the second-degree wanton endangerment charge and 12 months for the possession of drug paraphernalia offense. Those terms, he said, would run concurrently to the 12 years.
The agreement also stipulates that Hardin is to comply with all family court orders concerning the child.
Hardin’s co-defendant, Taylor Sloan, 21, the child’s mother, pleaded out June 27, admitting her son had been subjected to significant abuse that caused severe physical injuries.
The commonwealth recommended Sloan serve five years in prison on the abuse charge, 45 days for the marijuana charge, and one year each for the drug paraphernalia and wanton endangerment offenses, all to run concurrently.
Sloan and Hardin were charged following a month-long investigation that began in May 2015 following a report of possible child abuse from Kentucky Health and Family Services.
McCracken Detective Capt. Matt Carter said a 28-month-old boy was taken to a hospital with multiple injuries, prompting doctors to alert Family Services.
Due to the severity, the child was transferred to an out-of-state hospital.
Doctors at the hospital considered the number and severity of the injuries and determined the boy had endured “severe child abuse,” deputies reported.
After further investigation, warrants were issued for Hardin’s and Sloan’s arrests, and the couple turned themselves in.
During an Aug. 28 bond hearing, Carter testified the toddler “sustained broken bones from head to toe,” which included skull fractures and brain bleeds, as well as fractures to both arms, broken ribs, a broken femur and a laceration to his lip that required sutures.
Carter said doctors also found evidence of healed fractures that may indicate previous abuse.
The couple is scheduled to appear Sept. 9 for sentencing.
