CINCINNATI – The parents of a 2-year-old child who authorities say died of starvation and blunt force injury and weighed only 13 pounds were indicted on aggravated murder charges on Wednesday.
Hamilton County's prosecutor said that the grand jury also indicted Andrea Bradley, 28, and Glen Bates, 32, on murder and child endangering charges in Glenara Bates' death. Prosecutor Joe Deters says the parents, both of Cincinnati, could face the death penalty if convicted of all the charges.
Glen Bates' attorney, Ramona Daniels, said Wednesday that she had no immediate comment. A message was left Wednesday for Bradley's attorney, Derek Gustafson.
Deters' statement says Bradley took her daughter to a hospital March 29 where the girl was pronounced dead. The child had been badly beaten and had bruises, belt marks and bite marks, he said. The child also had injury to her head and broken teeth, and injuries had been inflicted over an extended period of time, Deters said.
"The abuse this baby suffered is beyond belief," Deters said.
The prosecutor said Bradley had seven children and is expecting her eighth child in July. Five of the other children — ages 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 — were living with Bradley. They are now in the custody of the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services. None of the other children showed current signs of abuse, Deters said.
He said an older child lives with paternal relatives.
The indictments come on the same day that child-welfare workers across Ohio are promoting awareness and prevention of child abuse and in the wake of a high-profile Cincinnati case involving a 3-month-old infant's decapitation. That child's mother, Deasia Watkins, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated murder.
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