Infant homicide case to go before grand jury
MARION - The case against the parents of a 2-month old who died July 20 is being forwarded to a Marion County grand jury.
Tyler Sprow and Brittany Oliphant, the child's parents, were charged in Marion Municipal Court with two counts each of child endangering, one as a second-degree felony and one as a third-degree felony. Felony charges are generally transferred to the Marion County Court of Common Pleas after being initially filed in city court.
Two arrested in infant's death
Both Sprow, 22, and Oliphant, 18, are being held at the Multi-County Correctional Center, according to court records. Sprow is being held on a $1 million bond, while Oliphant's bond was set at $500,000.
The state had recommended $500,000 bond amounts for both Sprow and Oliphant, who are described as co-defendants in court filings. An attorney has not been appointed to represent Sprow, and Oliphant's attorney did not return a call seeking comment.
On July 20, Sprow and Oliphant's daughter, Lithariel June Sprow, was pronounced dead at Marion General Hospital. Court filings by Detective Scott Sterling alleged she died as a result of "blunt force trauma" and alleged that "multiple old injuries" were found as well. Sterling's affidavit also said that Lithariel Sprow was in the care of her parents when the injury that caused the fatal blunt force trauma was sustained.
According to a Marion police news release, an initial autopsy by the Franklin County Coroner's Office found "evidence of abuse and significant injury," leading police to investigate the death as a homicide.
Lithariel Sprow was born on May 6, according to her birth certificate and court records identifying her as "L.S."
The grand jury is scheduled to meet Wednesday, but the Marion County Prosecutor's Office does not comment on when a specific case will be presented to the grand jury.
This is the second infant death to lead to criminal charges in Marion County Common Pleas Court this summer, though the two incidents are not connected.
On June 19, 6-month-old Aaden Mannering died at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, and his mother, Tequila Mannering, was charged in Marion County Common Pleas Court with murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangering.
Mannering indicted in infant's death
Sheriff Tim Bailey alleged Aaden had been "shook … and struck," leading to his death. Mannering is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 13, and the proceedings are expected to last two days. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.
shickey@marionstar.com
740-244-9940
Twitter: @SpenserHickey