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Ranson man charged with child abuse in Upshur County after Sunday incident

BUCKHANNON – A Ranson man is housed in Tygart Valley Regional Jail after being charged with child abuse resulting in severe bodily injury Sunday.

Christopher Scott Harder, 21, was charged after an incident involving a 4-month-old baby.

Deputy Tyler A. Gordon, of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, was called by the Upshur County E911 Communication Center to St. Joseph’s Hospital because of injuries to the child. Gordon observed a swollen lip, dried blood inside both nostrils, redness and bruising of the face and the hemorrhaging of the right eye of the infant, according to the criminal complaint.

The mother stated she had left the residence, leaving her two children with Harder. Upon her return, the alleged victim was screaming very loudly, and Harder was holding the child, the complaint continued. A statement made by the other child that Harder “hit sissy” was a cause of concern for the mother.

After investigation, Gordon took a statement from Harder saying he back-handed the alleged victim in the face with his right hand due to frustration, the officer said. Harder’s bond is set at $175,000.

In a separate incident, Joseph Wayne Shipman Jr., 42, of Buckhannon, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, more than 15 grams, a misdemeanor, after a traffic stop on Route 33.

Deputy Seth Cutright of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department conducted the stop after receiving a call about two vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed.

Once the stop was initiated on one of the vehicles, a red Mitsubishi, Cutright noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the driver, and asked Cutright to step out of the vehicle, according to the criminal complaint. The officer then patted him down and found two containers of a leafy green substance believed to be marijuana.

Cutright called another officer to bring in a K9. The officers then discovered another container in the glove box and one large baggy of a leafy green substance that appeared to be marijuana, the complaint stated.

Also on Sunday, Eric D. Cunningham, 46, of Buckhannon, was charged with domestic battery, a misdemeanor, when Sgt. Thomas Posey, of the Buckhannon City Police, responded to a call about removing an unwanted person from a residence on Barbour Street.

The alleged victim stated Cunningham was upset and had grabbed her arms, shoved her and threw a phone at her, according to the criminal complaint. The alleged victim had a large knot on the top of her hand, and stated it occurred either when the phone was thrown at her or when she was shoved.

Cunningham is housed at Tygart Valley Regional Jail with no bond set.

On Thursday, Cpl. C.J. Day, of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, arrested Jamie Bart Johnson, 36, of Buckhannon, on one misdemeanor charge of harassment.

According to the criminal complaint, Johnson contacted his ex-wife approximately 150 times after being asked to not contact her. The two allegedly also have a no-contact clause as part of their divorce.

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