Prosecutor wants to use dog in child abuse case

The Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion Oct. 18 to use its new facility dog, Farley, in a child abuse trial next week.

Prosecutors are seeking Farley to accompany a pair of juvenile witnesses in the case of James “Jamie” Collins, 35, of North Ridgeville, who is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 22 on four counts of felonious assault, seven counts of endangering children and four counts of domestic violence, the filing says.

Collins is accused of abusing the then-3-yearold daughter of her boyfriend, a 35-year-old North Ridgeville man, after he gained custody of the girl.

The motion said police became aware of the alleged abuse Sept. 24, 2016, after the girl was taken to the emergency room with a broken arm and numerous bruises and marks on her face, ears, nose, legs and pelvic area.

The girl was seen to be missing patches of hair on her head, as well.

North Ridgeville police Lt. Greg Petek said the case was one of the worst incidents of child abuse he had seen.

Collins told police she was giving the girl a bath when she began to “throw a tantrum,” and then spanked her, according to the motion.

She told police it was “excessive” and that she “felt bad about it.”

When confronted with the fact the bruises didn’t appear to be the result of a hand, she admitted she used a “large plastic spoon,” and that the girl had fallen down some stairs, the motion says.

The two minor witnesses initially claimed they didn’t see the abuse, but later told authorities Collins had pushed the girl down the stairs at least five times, as well as slap, punch, push and pull her by the hair, according to the motion.

They said the girl would be forced to sit in the corner in an “uncomfortable squat” and that Collins would hold the girl’s head under water, the motion says.

Collins also directed the witnesses to abuse the victim as well, according to the motion.

Prosecutors want Farley to accompany the underage witnesses as they testify in the trial.

It cites Farley’s training to assure the court his presence would ease the witnesses to ensure “coherency and efficiency” in their testimony, the motion says.

If the motion is granted, this will be the first use of Farley in a criminal trial. Collins is out on bond. The boyfriend also facing a single count of felonious assault, two counts of endangering children and a single count of domestic violence, but a trial date has not been scheduled.