HOCKING COUNTY, Ohio — A mother and her boyfriend in Hocking County have been charged following the death of a 10-month-old baby last week.
The sheriff's office said the baby, who suffered from multiple skull fractures and other serious injuries, died on Nov. 23 after being on life support for several days at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Authorities were called to the Hocking Valley Community Hospital Emergency Room on Nov. 20 when the mother, 24-year-old Daisha Somers, and her boyfriend, 33-year-old Jerry Johnson IV, brought in her child.
Investigators found the baby had extensive bruising to her face and it was believed her skull was fractured. The girl was not breathing on her own and was only alive because she was on life support, according to the sheriff's office.
The baby was flown to Nationwide Children's and was kept on life support, but was declared dead three days later after not showing any signs of brain activity.
Detectives interviewed Somers and Johnson, who said they heard a loud "thud" in the early morning hours, found the baby fell out of her bed and hit her head. Neither one called 911 or requested help, but rather took the girl to the hospital on their own hours later, the sheriff's office said.
During another interview, Johnson changed his story by saying the child was found unresponsive and not breathing while Somers was doing laundry.
Somers admitted to smoking meth while Johnson admitted to smoking marijuana and being drunk, according to the sheriff's office.
The investigation showed that the original story about the baby falling out of the bed was inconsistent with the trauma she suffered. The sheriff's office said the baby suffered seven skull fractures, bleeding of the stomach, blood in her urine, retinal hemorrhages, multiple strokes and prolonged cardiac arrest.
Somers and Johnson were both charged with endangering children, which is a third-degree felony and more charges will be presented to the Hocking County Grand Jury at the end of the investigation.
