Brookfield police detail beating suffered by 8-year-old

STAFF REPORT

BROOKFIELD — A Brookfield Township child is at Akron Children’s Hospital, after police found him dehydrated with apparent broken bones, possible internal injury, bruises and sores on his body, and injuries to his throat.

A township man has pleaded innocent to felonious assault and child endangering in connection with the report that he physically abused his 8-year-old stepson. The charges were filed by the Brookfield Township Police Department

The boy told officers that Wise had shut his hand in a door, hit him with a belt and baseball bat, and stuck fingers down his throat. Police saw black eyes, bruises, a cut and a bump on the back of the child’s head.

Damian Wise, 30, of 5961 Everett East Road, was arrested Saturday afternoon. He entered the pleas in Eastern District Court here Monday to the two felony charges. If convicted, he could face up to 16 years in prison.

Judge Ronald Rice set bond at $250,000 on each charge and set a preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Thursday.

A detailed police report said the boy lives at the home with his stepfather; mother, Celinda; and a 5-month-old brother.

The mother, Celinda Wise, has not been charged.

Both children are in custody of Trumbull County Children Services, police said.

Township police on Sunday afternoon said they received a call from a concerned citizen: “She was in fear that the child would die if he was hit in the head again.”

Officer Jay First wrote in a police narrative that he contacted the boy’s mother at 1:48 p.m. Sunday; he was playing in the back yard. “He was observed to have two black eyes with facial swelling and blood in his left eye. He also was found to have trouble walking. The boy advised that he fell on his bike.”

But as the officer spoke further with the child, he observed that his left hand and arm were swollen. The child “advised that his stepfather Damion Wise shut his hand and arm in the shed door yesterday ... and that yesterday he hit him with a belt.”

An ambulance arrived. The child “was found to have bruises about his back, chest, stomach and legs. He also had a large cut and bump on the back of his head.”

The boy advised “that his stepdad ... hit him with little wooden bat in the back of the head yesterday.”

Another officer, Roy Anne Rudolph, wrote: “The first thing I noticed was the facial swelling, bruising underneath both eyes, shriveled dehydrated lips, bloody right eye and nearly swollen shut left eye. I introduced myself and asked, ‘What are we doing guys?’ To which the child replied, ‘We’re talking about my dad hit me with a bat on my body.’”

Her report continues: “I asked, ‘How do you feel about your dad?’ He replied, “I’m afraid of him, he tells me he’s going to kill me.’ I asked, ‘Do you really think he’s kill you for real, or is he maybe kidding or just saying that?’ He said in the most convincing voice, ‘Oh, I know he’s going to kill me. He never lies.’

Wise was arrested for felonious assault. Celinda Wise allowed police to check the laundry room for the bat.

The bat was located on the top shelf in the laundry. Two belts were also located in the main bedroom of the house hanging on the north wall.

At Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital, emergency room staff found that the bottoms of the child’s feet , ankles and lower legs were also hit with the bat. He “was also found to have a child’s diaper on that was found to be very dirty almost black.” The child said his stepfather makes him stay outside all day with no water.

Due to the extent of his injuries and a possible collapsed lung, the child was transported to Akron Children Hospital for further treatment.

The police report states it’s believed that the stepfather has beaten the boy for the last 1-2 years. “The severe beating with the bat had most likely occurred sometime within the last couple of days.”