Springfield man pleads guilty to charges of child endangering

Carter and the child’s aunt, Ashleigh Smith, 31, were indicted on the charges last December. Smith’s indictment was waived on Sept. 28, according to Common Pleas court records. Her sole charge is child endangering.

According to the affidavit filed in the case, the two brought an unresponsive child into the hospital Oct. 28 last year.

The pair told doctors the 3-year-old girl “fell and hit her head,” but doctors said those statements were not “consistent” with the injuries, according to the affidavit.

“We were advised the uncle, Timothy Carter, and aunt, Ashleigh Smith, brought (the child) in. Tim has custody of the child,” the affidavit said. “The child was stabilized and transported to Dayton Children’s Hospital by CareFlight.”

Carter and Smith said the girl was “running around with two younger children in the house and fell and hit her head on the coffee table in the living room’' and neither adult saw the child fall, according to the affidavit.

“They checked (the child) out and she was okay. After it happened she sat on the couch, ate and watched television. About an hour and a half later they laid her down for a nap and checked on her every 30-45 minutes,” the affidavit said. “She was fine when they checked on her and even asked for water.”

Carter then reportedly left for work and received a call from Smith saying something was wrong with the girl, the affidavit said. They then took her to Springfield Regional Medical Center.

Clark County Sheriff’s deputies interviewed the child’s doctor at Dayton Children’s concerning “the severe head trauma” the child had when brought into the ER.

“I was advised the statements are not consistent with the ability to eat and drink water as reported by Ashleigh and Tim,” the affidavit said. “He advised (the child) would have shown symptoms immediately.”

Smith and Carter were not listed as inmates in the Clark County Jail as of Friday.

A criminal disposition for Carter is scheduled for Oct. 13 in the Clark County Common Pleas Court. For Smith, a criminal disposition is slated for Oct. 21.