5th Arrest Made In Case Of Horribly Abused Boy Who Was Found With Septum Cut, Clumps Of Scalp Missing

A fifth person from Indiana has been arrested in connection with a gruesome child abuse case in Indiana involving a boy who was found in March with his septum cut and clumps of his scalp missing.

Annette Priestly (pictured, below) was arrested after a months-long investigation into the boy’s injuries, according to WXIN in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On March 2, police responded to a report of a child in Nappanee who needed help, according to the Times Union in Kosciusko County. They discovered a 3-year-old child who they said was found severely underweight and malnourished, according to WSBT in West Bend.

The boy had pieces of his scalp missing and his septum had been cut out and a piece of skin from his nose was missing, according to WANE in Indianapolis. Police said it appeared that someone had dug their fingernails into the skin on his cheek and his arms had been broken in multiple places so badly that he could not raise his hands over his shoulders, the report said. His teeth were also reportedly broken and he had suffered hematomas to the head. The injuries were life-threatening, WXIN reports.

annette priestly

Rune Springer, Travis Tillotson, Jammy Stacy and Fayette Robinette were all arrested earlier this year, according to WXIN. Springer is the boy’s mother and Tillotson is his stepfather, according to that report, but they said Stacy had been the sole caregiver of the child since October 2017. Stacy allegedly convinced Springer and Tillotson not to contact authorities over the child abuse, according to WXIN. It’s unclear who did call police. The child would sometimes stay with his aunt, Fayette Robinette, and her mother, Priestly, according to WANE.

All five were charged with felony neglect of a dependent, according to WANE. It’s unclear if any have lawyers who can speak on their behalves.

The abused child is now in foster care and doing well, according to WSTB.

[Photo: Kosciusko County Jail]