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BUCKHANNON -- Two Buckhannon residents are facing felony charges after a 2-year-old child died and another child was injured due to "shaken baby syndrome," according to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office.
Thomas W. Cunningham, 27, of Buckhannon, is being charged with child abuse resulting in the death of a child and child abuse resulting in injury, both felonies, after the children were allegedly seriously injured after being left in Cunningham's care. He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a cash-only $100,000 bond.
Ciera N. Gillespie, 25, of Buckhannon, has been charged with child neglect resulting in the death of a child and child neglect resulting in serious bodily injury, also felonies. She is being held in the Central Regional Jail on a cash-only $200,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Upshur County Sheriff's Deputy Rodney Rolenson on behalf of the Mountain Lakes Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the alleged incident occurred Monday, Nov. 28.
According to the complaint, Rolenson was contacted by Chief Deputy Michael Coffman about an infant's drug overdose at a Valley Green Drive residence. Deputies Chidester and Bender were on scene with Gillespie. The mother gave an audio recorded statement to officers saying that she had gone to the store at 6 p.m. and left the children, a 1-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, in the care of her boyfriend, Cunningham.
Gillespie told officers she received a call from Cunningham as she was pulling into the residence saying something was wrong with the the 2-year-old. According to the complaint, she told officers that as she went into the apartment, Cunningham handed her the 2-year-old child and "his body was limp and blood was coming from his mouth and nose." Cunningham called 911 and the ambulance responded and Gillespie stated that as she was leaving with the ambulance, Cunningham came running out of the residence with the 1-year-old child stating there was something wrong with the child.
According to the complaint, the 2-year-old child was pronounced dead at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. According to the complaint, Rolenson spoke to WVU medical staffer Dr. Melvin Wright. Wright said the manner of death for the child was consistent to "shaken baby syndrome" and the "retinal injuries were the worst he had seen in 20 years." The doctor also said the injuries to the 1-year-old child were significant and also a result of "shaken baby syndrome."
According to the complaint, Gillespie provided officers a second statement on Dec. 1 and said she believed Cunningham was under the influence of a controlled substance when she left the children in his care. Cunningham also provided a statement to officers on Dec. 1. and stated he had "used a Percocet to get high while he was left in the care and custody of the two infant children."