Two felony child abuse charges against a Prague man who was scheduled to go to trial later this month have been dismissed by state prosecutors.
However, an additional charge of assault and battery filed against the man in early February of 2020 is still pending, records show.
Several months ago two charges of enabling child abuse against the mother of the children also were dropped by state prosecutors.
Joseph Carl Corum, who was 20 at the time he was arrested in early January of 2020, was charged in Lincoln County District Court with two counts of child abuse.
Two counts of enabling child abuse were filed at the same time against Mina Starr Arnold, then 19. Those charges were dismissed on March 31 of this year, court records show.
A jury trial had been scheduled for Corum for 9 a.m. Oct. 18. Corum was accused of abusing his twins who were born Nov. 16, 2019 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Shawnee, according to an affidavit filed in the case.
On Sep. 28, during a felony disposition docket, District Judge Cindy Ashwood granted the state prosecutor’s request to dismiss the charges against Corum without costs.
An additional charge of Assault and Battery was filed against Corum on Feb. 3.
On Sep. 28, Judge Ashwood continued the cause until 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 2. issues and Corum was required to be present at the time, the judge ordered.
An affidavit filed in the case stated Corum and Arnold are identified as the biological parents of the twins.
An investigator was called by a Department of Human Services supervisor to give him information about two babies who reportedly had been abused by their parents, the affidavit states.
It further states the babies initially were taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Shawnee. Corum and Arnold had left the hospital prior to DHS taking custody of the children who were five weeks old at the time.
The investigator was informed soon after the children were transported to Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. He went to Children’s Hospital, the information states, and met with a DHS supervisor and a nurse practitioner.
The affidavit says the investigator observed several areas on one child identified as J.C. and that J.C. had what appeared to be bruising on his arms and legs.
The other small baby, identified as L.C., was being held by a DHS worker in her arms. The investigator was told by both DHS and the nurse practitioner that L.C. may have possible brain bleeding. CT’s and an MRI were going to be performed, he related in the affidavit.
He was told by the nurse practitioner that the broken bones on J.C. were consistent with child abuse, the affidavit further stated.
The nurse practitioner took photographs of both babies and provided the investigator a copy of those.