The defense and prosecution agreed yesterday on a trial date for an Athens man accused of severely burning a 20-month-old girl.
Andrew Hutchins could appear before a jury on May 26 if all goes according to schedule - which rarely happens in Common Pleas Court, where motions and pre-trial hearings often push back trial dates. His next pre-trial hearing, scheduled for 2 p.m. on May 11, will dictate whether the trial goes ahead as planned.
If approved by Judge L. Alan Goldsberry, the defense could call an expert witness at trial, said Bill Biddlestone, Hutchins' attorney. The prosecution, too, will probably call an expert witness during the trial.
At a January hearing, Assistant County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn pledged, We'll bring in doctors upon doctors to talk about the pain this girl was in
that she's still in.
The 20-month-old girl at the center of the case, Madison Webb, suffered first- and second-degree burns on Dec. 14 while in the bathtub. Hutchins' family and attorney have repeatedly said the burns were a terrible accident. He left the girl alone for a moment in the bath, returning seconds later to find her scalded by 140-degree water and screaming in pain, they said.
Prosecutors and investigators present a more sinister story, saying they believe Hutchins held Madison under the water deliberately. Hutchins' criminal record, which includes a drug offense and threatening to rob a local Kroger, stretches back two years.
Madison didn't arrive at the hospital until six hours after she was burned, according to prosecutors and court records.
Hutchins remains in the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, charged with felony assault and felony child endangerment.
Correction: Madison Webb was taken to the hospital until six hours after her burns. The original version of this article incorrectly stated that O'Bleness Memorial Hospital treated Madison for six hours. The Post regrets the error. 1
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Dave Hendricks
