A jury in Allen County delivered a split verdict Thursday in a child abuse case involving a Lima man. Brandon Schultz, 26, of Lima, was found guilty on two counts of endangering children, but acquitted on one count of felonious assault. The verdict was read to the courtroom by Judge Jeffrey Reed.
The case centered on allegations that Schultz broke his 7-week-old son’s femur. According to court records, Schultz confessed to hearing a pop in the victim’s leg after trying to change the baby’s diaper. The victim was taken to the hospital nearly a week after the incident, and the baby’s mother denied any abuse occurred at home.
The final witness to testify Thursday was Kelly Liker, who was the chief in child advocacy at Dayton’s Children Hospital at the time the offense occurred. Liker testified that the specific fracture observed in the child could not have been caused independently, but rather required an outside force. Liker stated the fracture was "highly concerning for child physical abuse."
After reviewing notes from various doctors and hearing testimony from the victim’s mother, Liker concluded that abuse was the factor causing the baby’s broken leg. Liker offered her "best medical opinion" that the injury resulted from child physical abuse. She also noted that the account of events provided to doctors had changed over time, which raised what she called red flags.
Chief prosecutor Kyle Thines brought a baby doll to the stand during the trial for Liker to demonstrate to the jury how the victim’s leg could have been broken. Liker explained that while babies are delicate, their bones are primarily cartilage and possess "a little more give," meaning it would require extra force to break the femur, which is the largest bone in the thigh.
During closing statements, the state's prosecution outlined each count, asserting that Schultz was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Thines posed a question to the jury, asking what purpose there would be for "that much force, other than to cause pain?"
The defense maintained that Schultz’s confession, despite being made, was a false claim stemming from the stress of the situation. In rebuttal, Thines challenged this assertion by questioning how one could "make a false confession and cry like that" without acting classes.
Following the arguments, the jury returned with the split verdict. Schultz is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
