Lyons Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse
Joshua Lyons, 36, of 1778 Villars Road, has pleaded guilty — by way of an Alford Kennedy plea, to child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury.
Lyons had been indicted by the May term of the Wetzel County Grand Jury with the charge, along with a second count — malicious assault.
Judge Jeffrey Cramer ordered a pre-sentencing investigation report to be completed by the Wetzel County Probation Office. Lyons is scheduled to appear back in court on Aug. 15, at 9 a.m. for a sentencing hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of an indeterminate sentence of not less than two nor more than 10 years in the West Virginia Division of Corrections. He also must register as an abusive parent with the Child Abuse Registry for 10 years upon his release, and he may be subject to up to 50 years of supervision once released from serving his sentence. He was remanded to jail pending his sentencing hearing at which time the state and defense will argue sentencing.
The New Martinsville Police Department investigated this case, and their quick action responding to the scene earned Chief Tim Cecil, Detective Donnie Harris, Patrolmen Timothy Chichick and Jason Utt, and Dispatcher Iris Isaacs Distinguished Service awards.
The NMPD responded to a 911 call at 619 Foundry Street on April 4, which resulted in Lyons’ arrest.
Chief Cecil previously reported that at the residence, officers found a three-month-old baby boy, blue and barely breathing. Cecil had reported that he found a slight pulse on the baby and ordered Patrolman Chichick to bundle the baby. The officers took the baby, via cruiser, to the Wetzel County Hospital.
During transport, Chief Cecil remained on the phone with the hospital nurse for the safety of the child.
Cecil Cecil said he was met halfway to the hospital by Patrolman Utt, who had been at the scene of a vehicle accident. Utt cleared traffic for Cecil and led the officers to the hospital.
According to Cecil, officers arrived at the Foundry Street location of the baby within three to four minutes from the time of the initial call; officers arrived at the hospital within 10 minutes of the initial call.
Cecil said the doctor on duty at WCH performed CT scans and decided to have the child transported to UPMC. After an investigation by Detective Donnie Harris, police then arrested 36-year-old Lyons on child abuse and neglect charges.