A Francesville man has been found guilty of battering a 19-month-old child in 2019. Pulaski County Prosecutor Kelly Gaumer says a jury convicted Coltyn M. Toosley last week on felony counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery resulting in bodily injury on a child under 14.
The issue reportedly began when Toosley and the child missed an appointment with the Department of Child Services. When the caseworker finally tracked them down, the caseworker reportedly noticed severe bruising and swelling to the child’s face and immediately took the child to the emergency room.
Gaumer says the child suffered extensive injuries, and an expert testified that the bruising resembled a mask on the child’s face. Toosley told police that the injuries happened when he fell while holding the victim, but he also reportedly said that he may have hit her once. After reviewing photographs and medical records, however, a medical expert determined that the injuries were caused by multiple blunt force trauma inflicted from physical abuse.
Gaumer says it took the jury less than an hour to convict the defendant. She calls the verdict “a victory for law enforcement and most deservedly, the victim.” Gaumer encourages anyone who suspects that a child is being abused or neglected to call the Indiana Department of Child Services’ Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-800-5556.
