A reader recently reached out to Scioto County Daily News with a simple but jarring question: Why is Sammy Nash out and about?
It’s a fair question—especially for anyone who remembers the horrifying child abuse case that shocked Scioto County earlier this year.
A 9-Month-Old Baby, Broken Bones, and a Nightmare Uncovered
Back in January, a 9-month-old baby was rushed to King’s Daughters Medical Center, where medical staff discovered multiple severe injuries—broken bones, a black eye, and other signs of abuse.
Doctors instructed Kayla Williams, 30, of New Boston, to immediately take the infant to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus for urgent treatment.
She didn’t.
Hours passed. The baby never arrived.
That delay triggered a scramble involving Scioto County Children Services, the New Boston Police Department, and the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit.
A warrant was issued. The infant was removed from the home, rushed to Southern Ohio Medical Center, and then transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Doctors later confirmed the worst:
The baby had been injured on at least two separate occasions, with some injuries dating back 10 days.
Indictments—and a Sex Offender Emerges
In March, a Scioto County grand jury indicted Kayla Williams on nine counts of endangering children.
At the same time, another name appeared in the case: Sammy Nash, 54, a registered sex offender previously convicted of a sexual crime in West Virginia. Nash was also indicted on nine counts of child endangerment.
Both were named as abusers in official complaints.
One Goes to Prison
Williams later accepted a plea deal. Under the agreement, she pleaded guilty to:
- One count of Endangering Children (F2)
- Three counts of Endangering Children (F3)
Those counts were ordered to run consecutively, resulting in a 9-year prison sentence, with credit for 264 days already served. All remaining charges were dismissed.
Williams is currently incarcerated at the Dayton Correctional Institution, with parole eligibility in 2033.
The Other Never Left the Street
Nash also took a plea deal.
His outcome?
- One count of Endangering Children
- Three years of probation
No prison. No jail time.
So, when readers say they’ve seen Nash “out and about,” they’re not wrong.
He isn’t back on the street.
He never left it.
Was Justice Served?
Both Williams and Nash were identified as abusers. Both were indicted. But only one is behind bars.
A baby suffered broken bones. A registered sex offender was involved. And yet, the punishment couldn’t be more uneven.
Williams is doing nearly a decade in prison.
Nash is living his life under supervision.
So the question remains—one many in the community are now asking out loud:
Was justice truly served in this case… or only partially delivered?
