A man that beat his pregnant 17 year-old daughter, because she had allegedly refused his order to abort her child, was sentenced to a year in prison in a Sandusky County Common Pleas court, as reported by The News Messenger, Life Site News and Sandusky County Live.
The defendant, B.S, 36, plead guilty to felony domestic violence before Judge Barbara Anstead. The plea came shortly after the victim had presented testimony about the incident.
Judge Anstead then ordered B.S. to immediately begin serving 6 months of his 12-month sentence.
According to the victim, B.S. drove her to an abortion clinic when she was 4 months pregnant and set up her appointment. The victim told her father she wanted to keep her child. Both B.S., and his wife, R.S., 41, began to hit her.
Charges were dropped against R.S. – because the victim did not want her mother to go to jail as she is needed as a caretaker to her two younger sisters in the home.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Lorrain Croy, "This indictment was for felony five domestic violence" and "domestic violence is a first-degree misdemeanor on a first offense, with a possible 12 month sentence in the local jail." However, as the victim is pregnant the charges "enhance to a fifth degree felony, with 6 months mandatory incarceration and up to total of 12 months incarceration."
B.S. pleaded guilty on June 4 and, Croy told reporters, "The judge sentenced him to 12 months and his bond was revoked and he was taken into custody. He was delivered to the prison on June 6, 2014."
When the charges were first filed both B.S. and R.S. were held on a $50,000 bond each for two days. If both had been found guilty they faced a mandatory six-month prison term.
The fetal laws did not apply in this case Croy said because "the injury was to the victim –
the daughter. She had bumps and bruises on her face and arms. There was no injury to the baby." However, Croy added, "Had there been more serious injury, the charges would have been more severe."
The victim delivered a healthy full-term baby on December 20, 2013. Croy explained, "The baby is doing well and thriving. The victim is healthy but suffers emotionally from this violence."
"There is a family history of violence between the parents. The mother was convicted of falsification for claiming the last time that (B.S.) was charged with domestic violence, she lied. Law enforcement then charged her with falsification and she was found guilty. Thereafter, the domestic charges against (B.S.) were dismissed," Croy said.
Croy added, "I spent a great deal of time with the victim and I have no doubt as to her veracity, sincerity, physical and emotional injury that she has suffered from her father…"
A case of domestic violence need not involve an incident between a married couple, if someone has hurt you in your household contact a family law attorney for help. This young mother, and her baby, survived their attack this time.