Centralia parents deny assaulting infant and toddler

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A lawyer representing the Centralia parents charged in the case of an infant with broken bones told a judge yesterday there is an issue of a possible genetic condition that could have caused the fractures.

Defense attorney Chris Baum is the court-appointed attorney for 30-year-old Raymon E. Bell. The mother, Brandi J. Larson, 28, is represented by Mike Underwood, but Baum spoke for both parents yesterday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.

Both pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of second-degree assault of a child involving two children.

Charging documents describe a 29-day old baby with fractures in her upper left arm, her lower left leg and her right foot. A test also showed the child had THC – an element of marijuana – in its system, according to the documents.

The findings came after the parents took the newborn to the emergency room at Providence Centralia Hospital on June 20 and a social worker contacted Centralia police.

Bell reportedly told hospital personnel he was holding the baby and stumbled, causing it to strike its arm and leg.

The baby has been taken into state custody.

The charges were initially filed last week, and on Monday, prosecutors added the charges involving a toddler. Those charges allege assault of a 2-year-old occurring in April or May of last year. The nature of that alleged assault is not described in court documents.

Bell and Larson are being held in the Lewis County Jail on $25,000 bail.

Baum asked Judge Nelson Hunt yesterday to reduce bail for Bell, a Centralia College student, saying he did have some criminal history that dates back to 2002, but “by and large, he’s been on the straight and narrow.”

The judge said no. Hunt also declined to reduce bail for the mother – a part time Jack-in-the-Box worker.

A trial date was set for the first week in November.

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