RICHMOND — A grand jury will consider a first-degree criminal abuse charge against a Berea College student accused of injuring his 6-week-old daughter. Brian Farris, 20, was charged after state child abuse investigators contacted Berea police Feb. 16 once the child was admitted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington with multiple injuries. Detective Lee Ann Boyle testified Wednesday at a preliminary hearing in Madison District Court about her investigation into the case. Boyle said doctors diagnosed the infant with a brain hemorrhage, lacerations to her liver, rib and wrist fractures, evidence of seizures and other internal bleeding. Doctors at the hospital said the injuries are indicative of the child being shaken, Boyle said. The infant spent 10 days in the hospital before being released, Boyle said, and doctors are unsure how much developmental damage may have resulted from her injuries. Boyle said Farris and his wife both admitted in multiple statements that Farris “had been rough” with the child while playing, including bouncing the child onto a bed and throwing the child into the air. Farris’ wife told Boyle that she had nursed the girl earlier in the evening and handed the child to Farris to burp. Boyle said Farris’ wife told her Farris took the child upstairs for “about 15 minutes” and then returned with the child, at which point the mother noticed the child was having difficulty breathing. Farris told Boyle he was working on homework and had the baby in his lap and was attempting to burp the child by patting her on the stomach. He denied ever shaking the child, Boyle said. During cross-examination by defense attorney Brian Barker, Boyle said Farris was initially hesitant about taking the child to the hospital, but his wife insisted. Boyle also testified that Farris’ wife said she had seen Farris researching “shaken baby syndrome” on the Internet approximately two weeks prior to the incident. Farris also told Boyle at one point that he had continued to play with the child roughly despite complaints from the child’s grandparents “out of spite,” she said. Madison District Judge Charles Hardin issued a probable cause finding after the hearing, sending the case to a grand jury for possible indictment. Hardin also said he was “appalled” by the allegations in the case and the bond Farris was required to post in the case. The bond was amended last Wednesday to only require 10 percent of a $10,000 cash bond to be posted while Hardin was out of town. Hardin also spoke directly to Farris about his behavior following the hearing. “I don’t see any remorse on your face,” Hardin said. He also told Farris that as a father, he was concerned by the allegations in the case. Farris remains free on bond, but Hardin ordered him to have no contact with the child. Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@ richmondregister.com or at 624-6694. For breaking news, follow Brian at www.twitter.com/ RR_BSmith.
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‘She wasn’t just a teacher’ : Lambert retires after 43 years at Berea
Scroll to the bottom of the story to read "Love for Lambert: Berea graduates share memories of their teacher," as well as a list of other Berea retirees this year.
Writer’s Note: Brenda Lambert is the reason I write articles today (Class of 2000).
Years ago, a little blonde-haired girl from Rockcastle County gathered her friends to “play school” in a 10-by-10 foot playhouse her father built.
Even at 12 years old, Brenda Lambert knew she wanted to be a teacher one day.
“I always felt like an old person trapped in a young person's body,” said Lambert, who is retiring after 43 years of service to Berea Community School. -
Special Olympics return for 18th year at EKU
Next weekend, the Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games return to Eastern Kentucky University campus. This is the 18th consecutive year EKU has hosted the event.
The games will be Friday through June 2. About 1,300 athletes will compete this year. -
Assault charges reduced, dismissed by grand jury
Two men arrested in connection with serious assaults had their charges reduced, and in one case dismissed, by a Madison grand jury.
Jerry Wayne Edington, 34, of Berea Road, was charged Jan. 19 with second-degree assault after an altercation at the Blue Moon bar on East Irvine Street, according to a Richmond police report. -
Dump of the Day
The Dump of the Day is a recurring series the newspaper publishes to highlight illegal trash piles and push local governments to cite perpetrators and get illegal dumps cleaned up. See Page A7 in Sunday's paper to read a copy of the city’s ordinance related to trash pickup.
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Paradise Cove open through Labor Day
Opening day of Paradise Cove Family Aquatic Center coincided with a spike in temperatures Friday which reached 90 degrees. The facility, located in Richmond’s Lake Reba Park, will be open through Sept. 3. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday.
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Dump of the Day
An old mattress, a car seat and other debris sit Friday afternoon on North Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets where it was first spotted Thursday. The “Dump of the Day” is a recurring series the Richmond Register publishes to highlight illegal trash piles and push local governments to cite perpetrators and get illegal dumps cleaned up. See Sunday’s Richmond Register to read a copy of the city’s ordinance related to trash pickup.
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Undefeated academic team brings pride to Madison Middle School
Madison Middle School 6th and 7th grade academic teams have been undefeated for the last two years.
The 8th grade team also has done well, having some students qualify to compete at the state level. -
Woman fends off burglar with knife
A Berea woman used a kitchen knife to fend off an alleged burglar early Wednesday morning, and police say they were able to catch the man in the act.
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Man is indicted on additional sex charge involving teen in 1998
A man already accused of sex abuse in November 2011 has been indicted on a charge of first-degree rape involving a child in 1998.
Charles W. Peyton, 63, of East Irvine Street, was indicted Wednesday by a Madison grand jury. He used “forcible compulsion” to have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl between March 1 and May 1 in 1998, according to the indictment. -
Woman fends off burglar with knife
A Berea woman used a kitchen knife to fend off an alleged burglar early Wednesday morning, and police say they were able to catch the man in the act.
Officers responded to a call in the 1000 block of Scaffold Cane Road about a man trying to break into a home, according to a release from BPD Public Information Officer Jake Reed. - More Local News Headlines
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