South Point , Lawrence County , Ohio

When Bobby Watts found out about 28-year-old Jerry Schrode's arrest, he says he wasn't surprised. "I just got cold chills." Watts showed us pictures of his 14-month old son Harlan. He says, "He was a happy baby." He says the child died last year from injuries sustained while Schrode was babysitting him. "I knew from the get-go that it wasn't an accident." The cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Kentucky State Police Lt. J.W. Lawson tells us they have handed over the case to the commonwealth attorney's office, and it is expected to be presented to a grand jury next Tuesday. While troopers couldn't get into the details of the case, they say "Any time there's a death, it's very serious, however, when it's a child, that kind of brings it to another level." No charges have been filed yet, but it will be up to the grand jury to decide if there is enough evidence for the case to move forward.

Meanwhile, Schrode appeared in Lawrence County Ohio court Friday morning to be arraigned on a felonious assault charge. Sheriff's deputies say he caused severe brain and eye damage to his 6-month old daughter last week.

"How many is it going to take before something's done and he's taken off the streets and our children our protected," asked Schrode's ex-wife Crystalyn Sowards. She says she counts her blessings her two-year-old son Liam is healthy today. She told Eyewitness News after several respiratory distress trips to the hospital as a baby, she knew something couldn't be right. "I came home and he had fingerprints around his neck where the blood had come through." Schrode faced a diversion in that case for a year, meaning if he didn't get in trouble, he would avoid being charged. We tried to contact the commonwealth attorney's office to find out if charges could be reinstated now, but haven't heard back.

Schrode will be back in Lawrence County court next Friday. He's currently being held on a $300,000 cash or surety bond.

---

A man charged with felonious assault after his baby was hospitalized with serious injuries makes his first court appearance Friday morning.

Jerry Schrode appeared at Chesapeake Municipal Court for his arraignment on that charge. Lawrence County Sheriff's deputies tell Eyewitness News the nearly 7-month-old girl had a brain bleed, and bleeding behind the retina.
She has since been released from the hospital and is in custody of child and family services.

Schrode is expected back in court next week for a preliminary hearing.

---

A Kentucky man is charged with felonious assault after detectives in Lawrence County, Ohio say his baby was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Detective Aaron Bollinger with the Lawrence County Ohio Sheriff's Office says Jerry Schrode, 28, of Ashland, appeared in probate court Thursday morning for a custody hearing of the infant. That's when he was arrested on a warrant for the assault.

Detective Bollinger tells Eyewitness News that the infant had suffered a brain bleed, bleeding behind the retina, and was admitted to Cabell Huntington Hospital earlier this week. Detective Bollinger says the infant will be 7-months-old in just a couple of days and has been released from the hospital. We're told the Lawrence County Department of Child & Family Services has custody of the baby.

Schrode is set to make his first court appearance on Friday.

How To Contact WCHS-TV8 | Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Terms and Conditions | DMCA Policy | Frequently Asked Questions

Home | Eyewitness News Newsroom | Storm Team Weather | Eyewitness Sports | Schedules

---

Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.

Copyright ©2013, WCHS-TV8. Portions are
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.