Joshua Lyons, 36, of 1778 Villers Road, was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 15 to two to 10 years in the West Virginia Division of Corrections. Lyons pleaded guilty in July to child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Lyons had previously been indicted by the May 2018 term of the Wetzel County Grand Jury with the charge, along with a second count – malicious assault.

During Lyons’ Aug. 15 sentencing, Judge Jeffrey Cramer stated he would talk to the parole board and ask that Lyons remain in prison for 10 years. The judge said he didn’t know if his request would do any good.

Lyons was given credit for time served and was sentenced to 25 years of supervised release upon his release from prison. He was further ordered to register as a child abuser for 10 years after he is released from prison.

Lyons was found to be an abusive parent, and the judge terminated his parental rights. Lyons is to have no contact with his child. He is also to pay a fine of $5,000, along with the cost of prosecution, including court-appointed fees.

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.