"Baby John Doe" - 7 Months/ Accused: John O'Neill - Norristown PA

NORRISTOWN — Described by authorities as a "horrific" case of alleged
child abuse and neglect, an Abington woman and her ex-boyfriend face
various charges in connection with the "violent trauma" suffered by an
infant boy in their care.

Colleen Melissa Miller, 31, allegedly
left the child, for whom she was caring, alone with her former
boyfriend, John Matthew O'Neill, even though she had a protection order
against O'Neill, and then didn't seek immediate medical care for the
child when she returned home from a night of drinking and discovered the
child suffered serious injuries, allegedly at the hands of O'Neill.

"At
no time did she call the police or emergency medical personnel for help
with (the child's) condition, nor did she make any attempt to take (the
child) to the hospital," Abington Detective Michael Begley alleged in a
criminal complaint.

Miller waived her arraignment in Montgomery
County Court this week and pleaded not guilty to charges of endangering
the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person in
connection with the August incident.

Miller remains free on $50,000 bail while awaiting trial on the charges.

O'Neill,
33, of Abington, is awaiting a Nov. 2 arraignment on charges of
involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated
indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a child, reckless
endangerment, child endangerment and simple and aggravated assault in
connection with his alleged contact with the 7-month-old child.

O'Neill,
who remains in the county jail in lieu of $1 million bail, allegedly
gave conflicting statements to detectives about the cause of injuries to
the child, including claiming a pet cat caused the injuries or that the
child fell against a bathtub fixture during bathing, according to the
arrest affidavit.

"O'Neill admits being the sole caretaker of
(the child) prior to and during the time where (the child) received his
injuries," Begley alleged in the criminal complaint.

The case is
being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who
leads the district attorney's sex crimes prosecution division.

The
investigation determined Miller, at about 10 p.m. Aug. 12, allowed
O'Neill, her ex-boyfriend, to come to her home, even though she had a
valid protection from abuse order that prohibited O'Neill from being at
her residence, and asked him to stay with the child that was in her care
while she went out with her new boyfriend, court papers indicate.

Miller
allegedly returned home at 3 a.m. Aug. 13. After a brief discussion
during which O'Neill allegedly stated the child was "fine," Miller asked
O'Neill to leave the residence. As O'Neill left he allegedly stated to
Miller, "There's blood in the trash can, it's from me," according to the
arrest affidavit.

When Miller checked on the child she noticed
blood on the bedding. "She also found blood throughout other areas of
the house. Miller found blood splatter, bloody diapers, towels, sheets
and baby wipes," Begley alleged, adding Miller noticed something unusual
about the child's anal area while removing the child's diaper.

At
about 4:40 a.m. Miller allegedly sent a text message to a relative
stating, "You need to come, what I have to show you is not good,"
according to the arrest affidavit. However, even after Miller couldn't
reach her relative, Miller did not call for medical assistance for the
child, authorities alleged.

Miller's relative, retrieving the
message about six hours later, rushed to her home at 10:45 a.m. and
found the child "unresponsive but breathing," and noticed the child's
anal injuries and bruising to both sides of his head at his temples and
under his jaw, according to the criminal complaint. Miller's relative
rushed the child to Abington Memorial Hospital.

Due to the
child's critical condition, the little boy was transported to The
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where doctors diagnosed the injuries
to the child's anus as "violent trauma," including perforation of the
intestines, according to the criminal complaint.

The child
underwent emergency surgery for what doctors described as "horrific
injuries to the anus area," which were life-threatening, according to
court documents.

When authorities took O'Neill into custody, they
discovered what appeared to be a blood "splatter mark" on the top of
his right shoe, according to the arrest affidavit.
http://pottsmerc.com/articles/2011/10/05/news/srv0000014342932.txt?viewmode=fullstory

NORRISTOWN – Described by authorities as a “horrific” case of alleged
child abuse and neglect, an Abington woman and her ex-boyfriend face
various charges in connection with the “violent trauma” suffered by an
infant boy in their care.

Colleen Melissa Miller, 31, allegedly
left the child, for whom she was caring, alone with her former
boyfriend, John Matthew O’Neill, even though she had a protection order
against O’Neill, and then didn’t seek immediate medical care for the
child when she returned home from a night of drinking and discovered the
child suffered serious injuries to his anus, allegedly at the hands of
O’Neill.

“At no time did she call the police or emergency medical
personnel for help with (the child’s) condition, nor did she make any
attempt to take (the child) to the hospital,” Abington Detective Michael
Begley alleged in a criminal complaint.

Miller waived her
arraignment in Montgomery County Court this week and pleaded not guilty
to charges of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly
endangering another person in connection with the August incident.
Miller remains free on $50,000 bail while awaiting trial on the charges.

O’Neill,
33, of the 1400 block of Arnold Avenue, Abington, is awaiting a Nov. 2
arraignment on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual
assault, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a
child, reckless endangerment, child endangerment and simple and
aggravated assault in connection with his alleged contact with the
7-month-old child.

O’Neill, who remains in the county jail in
lieu of $1 million bail, allegedly gave conflicting statements to
detectives about the cause of the child’s anal injuries, including
claiming a pet cat caused the injuries or that the child fell against a
bathtub fixture during bathing, according to the arrest affidavit.

“O’Neill
admits being the sole caretaker of (the child) prior to and during the
time where (the child) received his injuries,” Begley alleged in the
criminal complaint.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant
District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who leads the district attorney’s
sex crimes prosecution division.

The investigation determined
Miller, at about 10 p.m. Aug. 12, allowed O’Neill, her ex-boyfriend, to
come to her home, even though she had a valid protection from abuse
order that prohibited O’Neill from being at her residence, and asked him
to stay with the child that was in her care while she went out with her
new boyfriend, court papers indicate.

Miller allegedly returned
home at 3 a.m. Aug. 13. After a brief discussion during which O’Neill
allegedly stated the child was “fine,” Miller asked O’Neill to leave the
residence. As O’Neill left he allegedly stated to Miller, “There’s
blood in the trash can, it’s from me,” according to the arrest
affidavit.

When Miller checked on the child she noticed blood on the bedding.

“She
also found blood throughout other areas of the house. Miller found
blood splatter, bloody diapers, towels, sheets and baby wipes,” Begley
alleged, adding Miller noticed something unusual about the child’s anal
area while removing the child’s diaper.

At about 4:40 a.m. Miller
allegedly sent a text message to a relative stating, “You need to come,
what I have to show you is not good,” according to the arrest
affidavit. However, even after Miller couldn’t reach her relative,
Miller did not call for medical assistance for the child, authorities
alleged.

Miller’s relative, retrieving the message about six
hours later, rushed to her home at 10:45 a.m. and found the child
“unresponsive but breathing,” and noticed the child’s anal injuries and
bruising to both sides of his head at his temples and under his jaw,
according to the criminal complaint. Miller’s relative rushed the child
to Abington Memorial Hospital.

Due to the child’s critical
condition, the little boy was transported to The Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia where doctors diagnosed the injuries to the child’s anus as
“violent trauma,” including perforation of the intestines, according to
the criminal complaint.

The child underwent emergency surgery
for what doctors described as “horrific injuries to the anus area,”
which were life-threatening, according to court documents.

When
authorities took O’Neill into custody, they discovered what appeared to
be a blood “splatter mark” on the top of his right shoe, according to
the arrest affidavit.
http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2011/10/08/glenside_news_globe_times_chronicle/news/doc4e8b7f3b32fd3083274698.txt?viewmode=fullstory