Man faces charges in beating of toddler

By Elise Franco

Police said the girl’s beating resulted in damage to her brain and other organs.

AUSTINTOWN — The condition of a 23-month-old girl who police say was beaten repeatedly by her mother’s boyfriend is listed as fair in Akron Children’s Hospital.

Timothy White, 29, was arraigned Monday morning on one count of felonious assault and three counts of child endangering.

White was arrested Friday afternoon by township police outside his Compass West apartment, where he lived with the girl and her mother.

Detective Sgt. Ray Holmes said White caused the child serious injury over an undetermined period of time.

The detective said the child had brain damage, a broken rib, stomach bleeds, damage to her liver and adrenal glands, second-degree burns on her genitals, foot and finger — and hemorrhaging in one eye that he said is a potential sign of shaken baby syndrome.

“Her doctor said because there is new blood and old blood, some of the trauma could be between five and 20 days old,” Holmes said. “She’s had at least six seizures [since Friday], and she can’t speak now.”

Holmes said the girl’s mother probably won’t be charged, and he said she didn’t know the extent of what was going on.

“She really bought [White’s] excuses on several small things,” he said. “But I think it’s setting in now.”

White had told the girl’s mother that some of the injuries happened after she fell and hit her head once on a floor and once when a car door swung open, according to a police report.

The original report was filed Wednesday as a personal-injury report.

The girl was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown on Wednesday after White told police he noticed she kept falling asleep. She was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital later that day. Her condition was updated from critical to fair Monday night.

White is in Mahoning County jail on $500,000 bond and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown.

efranco@vindy.com