A man is accused of injuring a 10-month-old child after finding markings around the baby’s neck, head and face. The suspect had just been released from a mental health facility just 13 days earlier.
The parent of the 10-month-old had taken an older sibling to Mercy Logan County Hospital emergency room for a cut to the chin suffered during a bicycle accident. The parent made mention of the 10-month-old male having a rash around his neck to the hospital staff, who later notified the Guthrie Police Department about possible child abuse.
In court papers, Lt. Mark Bruning was told the parent dropped the children off at a family member’s home on N. Pine St. on Oct. 11. The parent said they notice “Joe” sitting on the porch when they arrived.
After returning from Oklahoma City, the parent was told that the baby appeared to have a rash. While en route to the hospital for the 7-year-old’s chin, the parent said the baby was crying and unable to console.
The parent was quickly told it was not a rash, but an injury while in the emergency room.
John Joseph Marchese has been charged with injury to minor child.
Bruning says the injuries to the baby continued to worsen as he found red up and down lines. He later found out that the baby was wearing a brand new t-shirt and was able to match the lines up to the wounds around the neck and that the shirt was found to be stretched out.
The detective says the marks around the baby’s neck were more than likely caused by the shirt when a great amount of pressure was applied and picking up or in an upward motion.
After being admitted into Children’s Hospital, doctors found multiple skull fractures and confirmed the injuries were consistent with strangulation.
The parent said they received a call from the family members informing them “Joe” was found in a bedroom sitting on a bed and the baby crying on the floor.
A teenager living in the home said he saw John Joseph “Joe” Marchese pick up the baby by the back of the shirt and legs and walked into his father’s bedroom and shut the door. A family member went into the room in attempt to console the baby. They asked Joe to help with the baby and he reportedly said “he is ok.”
Soon after Marchese, 45, left the residence without informing anyone of his departure.
A $250,000 warrant was issued on Friday for the arrest of Marchese. He was taken into custody on Monday in Oklahoma City.
According to a court document, Bruning recalled and confirmed that Marchese had cut the throat of a woman in 1998, in Oklahoma County, and was found to be insane and placed in a mental home.
Marchese had been released several times from the facility, but violated his terms, including using a family member’s social security number to purchase a vehicle, and was sent back to the facility after being stopped in the vehicle, according to a family member.
He’s was formally arraigned with injury to a minor child, a felony, on Tuesday afternoon. He is due back in court on Oct. 26 at 9 a.m.
“Marchese had been released several times from the facility, but violated his terms and was sent back” and yet they keep releasing him!!!! Now look what happened. what will he do the next time he’s released??? probably kill someone!
Put him away . And keep him away!