Trial begins for Lorain man in rape case

The trial for a Lorain man accused of sexually assaulting a 17-month-old boy began Nov. 27.

Jacob Champion, 26, is facing two counts of rape and single counts of felonious assault and endangering children in connection to an Aug. 2, 2016, incident.

Champion waived his right to a jury trial in order to have the case heard solely by Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge John R. Miraldi.

Before opening statements began, Miraldi ruled in favor of the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office’s motion to allow its new facility dog, Farley, to accompany a 9-year-old witness who will testify in the case.

Within the motion, the state laid out its accusations against Champion.

According to the motion, Champion is accused of using an object to sexually assault the boy resulting in multiple injuries to his anus and rectum.

The child’s mother, who was living with Champion at the time, picked up the boy from her father’s home Aug. 1, 2016, and said he was fine and without injuries and no blood in his diaper, the motion said.

Later, she and Champion got into a fight.

The next morning when she returned to the boy’s room, she found blood on the bedsheets and what she believed was a spider bite on his face and a mark under his eye, according to

the motion.

She looked into the victim’s diaper and said she found there was more blood on the sheets, the motion claims.

When confronted with the allegations by investigators, Champion claimed to have “never touched any of (the victim’s) diapers and never changed (his) diapers.

Champion’s DNA was found on a tab for one of the child’s bloody diapers, according to the motion.

The motion said the 9-year-old witness will testify that Champion was awake at the time of the assault and that Champion had blood in his mouth.

Kirsten Bell, 27, of Elyria, also is facing a single count of child endangerment in connection to the case.

Both she and Champion were arrested Sept. 7, 2016, after the Elyria Police Department investigated the case.

At the time, Elyria police Capt. Christopher Costantino said detectives were contacted by Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland about the condition of the 17-month-old boy and an investigation was opened.

Costantino said neither Bell or Champion were forthcoming about the source of the injuries during that investigation.

Both Bell and Champion are out on $10,000 bond each.

Champion’s trial will continue at 9 a.m., Nov. 28, before Miraldi.

Bell is scheduled for a pretrial Dec. 3 before Miraldi.

KEITH REYNOLDS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Jacob Champion, 26, of Lorain, left, talks with his attorney before the beginning of his bench trial on Nov. 27.