Three Evansville residents have been charged in connection to a child abuse case.
Evansville Police report officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 25-hundred block of North Kentucky Avenue around 8:00 p.m. Sunday and checked out a 2 year old victim. Police say the child had numerous injuries consistent with being abused, including a black eye, swollen lip and bruising on his head down to his chest. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police believe the injuries occurred on May 26th, but nobody sought medical help for the 2 year old boy until May 30th.
Based on statements made during the child abuse investigation, Evansville Police say they believe 24 year old Keith Crotti was watching the child while the child’s mother was at work. According to the release, Crotti told police he used meth while alone with the child and blacked out. When he awoke, he told officers he saw the injuries on the child and called the mother, 33 year old April Goodman, at work and told her she was going to be mad.
Police indicate Goodman arrived home around 8:00 a.m. Friday, May 27th, and saw the injuries, but neither she nor Crotti called for an ambulance and officers say both are blaming the other for the lack of medical care for the child.
While officers were at the apartment, authorities say the child’s father, 29 year old Joshua Kuhlenschmidt, arrived at the apartment and police determined he had been in the apartment after the abuse occurred and also failed to seek medical treatment for his injured 2 year old boy.
According to police, a hospital exam concluded the child had trauma to his head, scalp, and face, as well as bruising and abrasions from his neck down to his torso. Authorities indicate the child was placed with a family member after begin released from the hospital.
All three subjects were arrested and lodged in the Vanderburgh County Detention Center. Crotti was charged for child neglect and battery with injury on a child under 14 years of age; Goodman was charged for child neglect, child abuse – duty to report and three counts of possession of a legend drug; and Kuhlenschmidt was charged for child abuse – duty to report, and child abuse/endangering life/health/bodily injury.
