Foster mother accused of beating child during potty training

Charmaine McCutchen, 44, is accused of striking her 4-year-old foster child in the abdomen

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By Doug Page and Lucas Sullivan
Staff Writers Updated 4:09 PM Wednesday, December 23, 2009

DAYTON — A Trotwood mother accused of severely beating her foster child while trying to potty train him was indicted and arrested Tuesday, Dec. 22, on a felony child endangering charge.

Charmaine McCutchen, 44, is accused of striking her 4-year-old foster child in the abdomen.

If convicted, McCutchen faces between two and eight years in prison.

The toddler, born with fetal alcohol syndrome and who has “developmental delays,” was taken to Dayton Children’s Medical Center on July 9 with severe abdominal pain and vomiting, Trotwood police said.

Emergency room doctors informed officers they suspected he might have been abused, authorities said.

The boy had emergency surgery the next day and spent two months in the hospital, Trotwood Detective Natalie Watson said.

The alleged assault occurred during toilet training, Watson said.

Police said the toddler initially indicated he had been hurt by “his mommy. He had two people he called his mommy so it was unclear what had happened,” Watson said.

The boy’s biological mother has supervised visitation rights, police said. McCutchen has two other biological sons of her own.

In later interviews, the child said, “Mommy with the two boys hurt me” and “Charmaine hit my tummy,” police said.

When police attempted several times to interview McCutchen, including a voice-stress test, “She backed out,” Detective Steve Derringer said.

Prosecutors approved the charge in October and sent it to a grand jury, which handed up the indictment Dec. 8.

It took authorities six months to get the indictment because of medical records and forensic evidence needed to secure charges, said Greg Flannagan, the county prosecutor’s office spokesman.

The boy had been in McCutchen’s care for almost two years, Watson said.

He has since been placed in a different foster home.

“He’s doing much better, putting on weight and thriving,” Watson said. “He’s a different kid.”

Montgomery County Children’s Services spokesman Tim Harshaw said McCutchen was contracted with another agency to house foster children.

The agency has no prior cases involving McCutchen’s biological children, but Harshaw said officials will do an assessment of her home in response to her arrest.

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