MACOUPIN COUNTY - Macoupin County State's Attorney Jordan Garrison, Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl, Carlinville Police Chief David Haley, and Litchfield Police Chief Kenneth Ryker have announced that 33-year-old Ashley N. Bottoms of Carlinville has been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Endangering the Life of a Child causing Death, a class 2 and a class 3 felony respectively. The Honorable Joshua A. Meyer set bond in the matter at $250,000.
On Thursday, a report was made at the Litchfield fire station that a minor child was in distress. It was determined moments later the 3-year-old was deceased, the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office said.
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The initial investigation was handled by the Litchfield Police Department but investigators determined the unrevealed acts that appeared to lead to the child’s death occurred in Macoupin County and a coordinated investigation between the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, Carlinville Police Department, and Litchfield Police Department was conducted.
Multiple search warrants were executed with the assistance of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney's Office and interviews were at the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department by detectives from Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department and the Litchfield Police Department.
Garrison issued a statement. “Crimes against children are, by their very nature, some of the worst crimes, with perpetrators leaving families destroyed by their actions." "It is alleged that this defendant, a trusted household member, committed this horrific act. I would like to thank Sheriff Shawn Kahl, Chief David Haley, and Chief Kenneth Ryker for their agencies coordinated effort. I would also like to thank Detectives Ryan Dixon, Brian Lawton, Brian Reid and Larry Rayburn for their swift actions leading to these charges."
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant's guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government's burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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