Tuesday, September 20th, 2016
Local man faces felonious assault, endangering children charges
By Jared Mauch
CELINA - A Celina man is in Mercer County jail on felony charges of suspected child abuse involving his infant son.
Michael Toler, 24, 605 E. Livingston St., Celina, has been charged with a second-degree felony of felonious assault and a second-degree felony of endangering children, according to Celina Municipal Court records.
The charges are the result of a Sept. 11 incident involving injury to Toler's son, who was born June 24. The boy's name was not given on an affidavit.
His medical condition was not available this morning.
According to the affidavit, Toler told investigators he was holding the child while preparing a bottle between 10:30-11 a.m. when the baby jerked his head forward and struck Toler on the chin.
Relatives reportedly took the boy to Mercer County Community Hospital, Coldwater, later that day due to his abnormal behavior and bruising on his forehead. Hospital staff conducted a CT scan that showed an intracranial hemorrhage. Hospital staff contacted Celina police to report possible child abuse. The baby was then transferred to Dayton Children's Hospital for further treatment.
Dayton Children's staff noted evidence of hemorrhages, and Dr. Lori Vavul-Roediger said Toler's recounting of events is not a plausible explanation for the injuries, according to court records.
The affidavit was filed by Celina police on Sept. 14 and an arrest warrant was executed for Toler on Sept. 15, according to records. No scheduled court appearance is listed for Toler on the court's online records.
Toler faced similar charges in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court in 2012 involving a different child.
He was charged with a second-degree felony of felonious assault, a second-degree felony of child endangering and a third-degree felony of child endangering in November 2012. The felonious assault and second-degree felony of child endangering charges were dismissed in March 2013, according to court records.
Toler was found guilty and sentenced to 36 months in prison for the third-degree felony charge of child endangering in April 2013. He was granted judicial release and sentenced to five years of community control sanctions in April 2015.
