Thursday, July 19, 2001
No adults were home when the 5-year-old girl was injured, the sheriff said.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BRISTOLVILLE -- The father of a 14-year-old Bristol Township boy, who has told authorities he often was left alone in charge of younger children, and the woman the father lives with were to explain themselves to a judge today.
Thomas J. McDaniel, who is facing two delinquency charges of rape and one of felonious assault, told Trumbull County deputies he and the younger children, ages 8, 5 and 2, were left alone for days at a time.
He is being held in the county's juvenile justice center, accused of raping the 5-year-old in their state Route 88 residence.
"Thomas stated that nobody comes around to check up on them and that his parents might call once a week just to see if everything is all right," a sheriff's report says.
"Thomas stated that he has to do all the cooking, which consists of soup or noodles for dinner, giving baths to the 5-year-old, but not the 2-year-old, and does anything that may need taken care of."
Called 911: The boy was arrested Monday, two days after deputies were called to the one-story home. Thomas called 911 around 8 p.m. Saturday to report that the 5-year-old girl in the house was bleeding.
The girl was in stable condition Wednesday in Forum Health Tod Children's Hospital in Youngstown, where she was transferred Tuesday from Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland.
Sheriff Thomas Altiere said no adults were home when the girl was injured.
Adults charged: The boy's father, Roy E. McDaniel, 51, and his girlfriend, Angelique Bailey, 35, are being held without bond in the county jail pending arraignment today in Newton Falls Municipal Court on child endangering charges.
Detectives say the two adults lived at the home with five children. A 2-month-old child was with Bailey and McDaniel on Saturday.
"Mr. McDaniel is a truck driver and it our understanding that on Saturday he had to go to Dayton and Ms. Bailey went with him," Altiere said.
Deputies reported finding large amounts of blood in several locations when they arrived at the house.
They described the interior of the home as "deplorable, unsanitary and unfit to be lived in by anyone."
"This officer further observed that the residence had a strong odor to it, the house has not been cleaned in a very long time and that the kitchen had food from several days ago still in the pot on the stove with bugs in and around it," wrote Deputy Don DeWitt.
Custody: The other children are in the custody of Trumbull County Children Services.
Authorities say Thomas' mother lives in Orangeville, but deputies have not been able to find her.
Deputies said they are not sure of the names or whereabouts of the fathers of the 5-year-old, 2-year-old and 2-month-old. The 8-year-old is the son of McDaniel and Bailey.
Nearby neighbors say they have often called the county health department and Bristol Township trustees about the conditions at the home.
George Buccella, deputy health director, said officials went to the home several times. He said the family had been working to clean it up.
There were several tarps on the roof Wednesday. An automobile seat and miscellaneous objects were in the front yard.
sinkovich@vindy.com