Man convicted of scalding toddler sentenced to 10 years

William Lindsey, 28, the man found guilty of scalding his 2-year-old stepson Kaeden Ashburn at a Centerville apartment on Loganwood Drive last April, was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison on Friday by Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Krumholtz.

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Lindsey had previously entered a guilty plea to charges of felonious assault, tampering with evidence and two counts of endangering children.

The charges were merged into two counts. He was sentenced to eight years for endangering children, a second degree felony, and 30 months on count four, tampering with evidence, a third degree felony, according to Erin Claypoole of the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

He was accused of severely burning the boy in the bathtub after the child defecated through his clothing, according to court documents.

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Krumholtz, in handing down the sentence, said he wanted to make sure that everybody understood why he was handing down a tough punishment.

He stated that Lindsey was not truthful when he told authorities that he didn’t realize the water in the bathtub was scolding and that he had attempted to find help by call 911. Krumholtz also detailed the tough path that Ashburn will have to go through the rest of his life.

“Kaeden was taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital and eventually to the Nationwide Burn Center in Columbus with burn injuries to over 80 to 90 percent of his body,” Krumholtz explained.

He added that the young child now has a serious heart condition related to the burn injuries and considers himself “ugly” because of the damage to his skin, adding that “Kaeden will face additional surgeries and skin graphs” for the rest of his life.

Krumholtz also presented what Dr. Kevin Johnson stated in a letter regarding the incident. Johnson treated Ashburn in the emergency room at Dayton Childrens.

The judge said that Dr. Johnson explained, “a majority of patients with burns of this extent do not survive. The burns were so deep and severe that all of Kaeden’s pigment was gone.”

Dr. Johnson wrote to the judge that while he is still practicing medicine, “this particular case caused me to never work in an emergency department again.

Lindsey’s attorney Anthony VanNoy said that his client has shown a great deal of remorse over the past year.

“This case has been devastating for some many people. A moment of trauma has caused a lifelong of tragedy for both the victim Kaeden and in this case Mr. Lindsey and both of these wonderful families,” VanNoy said. “There wasn’t a day that went by that meeting with Mr. Lindsey that he did not express remorse concern, sadness and personal turmoil.”

Court documents filed by children’s services indicated Lindsey was taking care of the boy while the boy’s mother was away.

Lindsey, who had been looking at his family while the court proceedings were in progress and dropping his head while the judge and his attorney spoke, told the court and both families that he was sorry for what happened.

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“I accept full responsibility for what happened,” he said. “I’ve caused Kaeden to endure things he should not have to endure. If I could turn back time and take it all back, I would.”

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