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Boardman couple accused of beating 15-year-old plead not guilty to domestic violence charges
BOARDMAN
A married couple was in court Tuesday and arraigned on domestic-violence charges after being accused of severely beating a 15-year-old boy who was in their care at a Glenwood Avenue residence.
Peaches Martin, 23, and Jeffrey Martin Jr., 25, pleaded not guilty to one misdemeanor domestic-violence charge apiece.
According to a police report filed Friday, the boy told police that Jeffrey Martin, his legal guardian, struck him all over his body, once with a wooden stick and 50 to 70 times with an extension cord.
The boy tried to flee, at which point he said Peaches Martin held him down while Jeffrey Martin punched his upper body and face several times.
The victim then escaped to a neighbor, who took him to police.
He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center on Friday.
He is now in the care of a youth shelter, according to Mahoning County Children Services.
When police questioned Peaches Martin on Friday, she admitted the victim was beaten and voluntarily showed police the wooden stick and extension cord.
She was arrested Friday. In addition to the domestic-violence charge, she is charged with a felony count of endangering children.
Neither assistant county Prosecutor Mike McBride nor Sgt. Chuck Hillman of the Boardman Police were sure why she was charged with endangering children while Jeffrey was not.
“The officers felt that based on the circumstances at the time, that was the right thing to do,” Hillman said.
Jeffrey Martin turned himself in to Boardman police Friday after they issued an arrest warrant for him.
Both are free on bond and are set to be back in court Nov. 25.
Children services is working with police to investigate the case, director Randall Muth said.