child abuse arrest made after 5-yr-old shows up at school with bruising

SALYERSVILLE – A Gunlock man was arrested last Thursday after a Head Start student kept falling asleep in class and had extensive bruising.

According to the arrest citation, Kentucky State Police was called to North Magoffin Elementary on May 15, to a criminal abuse of a child complaint, with a 5-year-old male juvenile with extensive bruising over parts of his body. The school also advised KSP the student had not been to school in over a week, and when he showed up the bruising was observed.

Social services and KSP talked with NME Principal Willie Cole, who told them the 5-year-old had bene under observation since lunch time that day. Police and social services observed extensive bruising on the boy’s right arm, as well as on his lower back and legs.

According to the police report, the child at first told police he could not say anything because he would get in trouble, but then advised his mom’s boyfriend was mean to him.

The Head Start teacher told police that the child had fallen asleep on a tricycle while outside during playtime that morning, and further stated that she and another teacher observed bruising to the juvenile’s back, butt, new and under his right arm when he woke up for lunch. The teacher further stated that is when she notified the principal.

KSP contacted dispatch and requested emergency medical services for the child due to the extent of his bruising.

Police talked to the mother, who stated she did not know how the bruising happened, but that she works and her boyfriend, Lonnie Lemaster, 28, of Gunlock, had been taking care of her son the night before. She said she only witnessed a small bruise on her son’s arm. While police and the social services were interviewing the mother, the child stated to his mom that Lemaster had grabbed him up and threw him onto the floor, hit him with a towel, and then began hurting him, according to the citation.

Lemaster told police he did not know how the bruises got on the juvenile, but that the child was also making comments that he was hurting him. He further stated that when he got the child ready for school, he only noticed a couple small bruises on him.

Lemaster was taken into custody and transported to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, where he remains at press time, charged with first-degree criminal abuse, child 12 or under.

The five-year-old child was transported to UK Children’s Hospital for medical evaluation and social services set up a safety plan for him.

Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.