Mom & Boyfriend Busted After 4-Year-Old Suffers Fractured Skull
A Scioto County mom and her parolee boyfriend are behind bars and her 4-year-old daughter is in Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus with severe skull fractures.
Just after 3 am on Thursday, the Portsmouth Police Department notified the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office that a 4-year-old girl had been admitted to King’s Daughters Medical Center in Portsmouth with serious injuries.
The child suffered severe skull fractures and may also have ingested drugs. The little girl was later transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus by air ambulance. Scioto County Children Services was also notified of the injuries.
That’s when PPD and the Sheriff’s Office teamed up to search for the child’s mother. According to Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman, officers from both agencies searched local hotels, motels, and other locations for several hours before they found her.
Just before 11 am on Thursday, detectives responded to a Rosemount hotel to back up Children Services. They found the child’s mother, Breanna Lambert, and her boyfriend, Johnny Smith at the hotel.
Boyfriend Claims Accident at Dollar General
Thoroughman said Johnny Smith had an explanation for the injuries. Smith claimed that he was playing with the child inside the Dollar General by tossing her in the air. He said he accidentally dropped her on the pavement and she hit her head.
Smith said they returned to the hotel and, at first, the child seemed fine. He said that she later began to act “strange.” Instead of immediately calling an ambulance, Smith said the pair put her in an ice bath and then took her to King’s Daughters Medical Center on the Scioto Trail.
Heroin Found During Investigation
Detectives also discovered around 10 grams of suspected heroin during the investigation. Police took Breanna Lambert, 23, of Huston Hollow Candy Run Road and Johnny M. Smith, 39 of Crain Road, into custody. Smith was currently out on parole and had an open warrant for driving under suspension and parole violation.
Lambert is charged with one count of felony child endangerment and one count of possessing drug abuse instruments. Smith is charged with one count of felony child endangerment.
Both are currently in the Scioto County Jail and scheduled to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Tuesday, October 12.
The Scioto County Prosecutors Office will present the case to the Grand Jury. Sheriff Thoroughman said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.