Grand jury indicts Catlettsburg man on child abuse charge

May 19—A Boyd County grand jury indicted a Catlettsburg man last week on a child abuse charge, after court records show he burned his child with a plastic bottle he'd heated with a lighter.

James Franklin McDowell, 28, was indicted on a sole count of first-degree criminal abuse of a child less than 12 years of age.

According to the court records, McDowell was trying to a get a starfish out of a plastic bottle by heating it with a lighter. The suspect told Boyd County deputies the child had taken a plastic toy and put in the flame of the lighter and placed it on McDowell, according to a criminal citation.

McDowell, in turn, took the bottle and put it on the 6-year-old child's arm, records show.

McDowell told deputies the incident happened about one and a half to two weeks prior to when it was reported, but the victim's mother showed authorities much fresher photos of the burn mark, records show.

An indictment is merely an accusation and is not an indication of guilt. Anyone named in an indictment should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

If McDowell is convicted, he faces between five and 10 years in prison.

(606) 326-2653 — henry@dailyindependent.com

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