RICHMOND —
A child abuse case that was set to be mediated was taken off of the mediation schedule Thursday because the man accused recently was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and stabbing an ex-girlfriend.
Geraldo Ortiz is accused of beating his 9-month-old daughter, “hitting her on the sides of the head, therefore placing her in a position that could have caused her serious physical injury,” according to the Berea Police citation.
He was out on bond for first-degree criminal abuse, a Class C felony, when he was charged in December on kidnapping and rape charges.
Mediation is a non-adversarial process in which a neutral third party encourages and helps disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Often, mediators work out resolutions that include some sort of therapy or classes.
In light of Ortiz’s new charges, mediation is not appropriate, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office.
Ortiz was arrested Dec. 19 after police say he kidnapped his ex-girlfriend in Estill County, then stabbed and raped her.
KSP Detective Roger Short said Ortiz was waiting for his ex-girlfriend in her yard Dec. 19 when she left home at 4 a.m. on her way to work.
She was seized from behind, Short testified in Madison District Court, cut with a knife, forced into her car and driven to a wooded area on KY 21 (Big Hill Road), near Indian Fort Theater in Berea.
The woman was threatened with additional harm unless she submitted to intercourse, according to the detective’s testimony.
She was stabbed eight times, and “some of the wounds looked pretty deep,” Short said.
After driving her around Madison County, making drive-thru purchases at McDonald’s in Richmond and Monty’s Liquor on Berea Road, stopping at a “dollar store” and going to an automated teller in Berea, Ortiz took the woman to his Berea apartment, Short testified.
She called 911 after he had fallen asleep, the detective said.
Ortiz allegedly fled on foot after learning she had notified police, but was located shortly thereafter by Berea Police officers.
He is charged with kidnapping with physical injury, first-degree rape domestic violence and first- and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence).
In district court, his attorney Meena Mohanty questioned whether Madison County courts have jurisdiction in the case because some of the events are alleged to have occurred in Estill County.
District Judge Brandy Brown found probable cause to send the case to a Madison grand jury, which can determine which charges may be heard in Madison County, she said.
An indictment has not yet been issued, but the grand jury may return an indictment in the case Wednesday, said Commonwealth’s Attorney David Smith.
In the abuse case, Ortiz was arrested April 20 after going to the police station to discuss bruises on his daughter, said Capt. Ken Clark. The father denied any involvement in causing her injuries, Clark said.
He later was given a lie detector test, which Clark said he failed.
When Ortiz was questioned about the failed test, he allegedly admitted to police that he had harmed the baby, according to police.
A pretrial conference in the abuse case is scheduled for Feb. 16.
Ortiz remains in the Madison County Detention Center on a $150,000 bond and a circuit court holder.
Register Senior News Writer Bill Robinson contributed to this story.
Lorie Love Hailey can be reached at editor@richmondregister.com or 624-6690.
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Geraldo Ortiz
Man accused of beating baby also charged in rape, kidnapping case
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