PUTNAM COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – A Putnam County man is facing charges after his stepson’s school reached out to authorities about suspected child abuse.
According to a criminal complaint from Putnam County Magistrate Court, Jonathan Riley, of Frazier’s Bottom, is charged with child abuse and domestic battery.
The complaint states that staff at the child’s elementary school and the school bus driver noticed injuries and bruising on the child’s head and body, so they contacted police. According to the complaint, the child told police the injuries had come from his stepfather.
According to the complaint, the child told investigators Riley had become angry with him after telling him to pick up his toys, and that Riley allegedly hit him several times with a lighter and a vape pen. The child told authorities his mother was asleep in a different room at the time of the alleged abuse, the complaint said.
The child was then taken to the emergency room to be checked out for his injuries, the complaint says.
The complaint states authorities went to Riley’s home the next morning, but he was not there. However, they were able to speak with Riley’s mother next door, and authorities said she told them Riley was staying with another relative and that the child did not have any injuries the night before when visiting her the night before the incident.
According to the complaint, authorities found Riley at his relative’s home, and he allegedly told them he wouldn’t have hurt the boy and alleged the child had previously hit his head on the wall, but didn’t know what could have caused the recent injuries.
Authorities spoke to Riley’s mother again, who reiterated that she did not see any injuries on the child the night before the investigation, and she was also able to provide Ring camera footage showing the child. The complaint says it did not appear the child had any facial injuries in that video.
Following the investigation, Riley was arrested and charged with child abuse resulting in injury and domestic battery. He was currently Western Regional Jail.
