Devine Charged With Battery To A Child
WARSAW — A Warsaw man is being charged with battery of a child after babysitting the child alone.
Caleb Michael Devine, 24, 326 Eisenhower Parkway, Warsaw, is being charged with count I battery to a person less than 14 years of age by a person at least 18 years of age, a level 6 felony, and count II neglect of a dependent, a level 6 felony.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Jan. 16 an officer with the Warsaw Police Department met with two women and a child, one of the women being the child’s mother. The affidavit states the child had redness to both eyes, swelling to both upper and lower lip, redness around the mouth, bruising under the chin and a significant red make spanning from the right to left side of her neck that appeared to be a handprint and consistent with being choked.
The affidavit states the mother was filling out paperwork for a protective order against Devine whom she advised she lives with.
The mother stated that she left for work at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15, at which time the child did not have the facial or neck injuries listed. She advised the officer that Devine was babysitting and was home alone until 6 a.m. She continued that one she returned home at 6 a.m. she did not check on the child since the child was sleeping, and did not see the injuries until she awoke at 1 p.m.
She continued, advising that when she asked Devine what happened to the child he stated she fell while in the bath, and that her neck was injured from a zipper on her pajamas. According to the mother, Devine also stated that the child would not stop crying and threw a plate of food at him. The mother advised that Devine did not seem concerned about the injuries and did not contact anyone for medical treatment.
The officer contacted Child Protective Services. CPS obtained permission from the mother to search her residence to validate it is a suitable living space for a child. The reporting officer went to the residence. While searching the home that officer found a smoking device with burnt residue and a glass container emitting a smell of marijuana in the main bedroom. In the nightstand the officer found red metal smoking device with burnt residue. The officer also found a glass water smoking device and a black and pink smoking device.
When a Warsaw officer spoke with Devine, he advised that he was the only one present when the child was injured. He continued that the child hurt her neck when she hit the side of the toilet while he was trying to put her in the bathtub. He then said he was unsure how she hurt herself.
Caleb Devine was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on Jan. 16 on a $20,250 surety and cash bond.