The parents of five-week-old twins in Prague have been arrested and currently are in jail for reportedly abusing their babies.
Joseph Carl Corum, 20, and Mina Starr Arnold, 19, are in the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler each on $100,000 bond. Sheriff Charlie Dougherty confirmed the two were booked in last week on Thursday, Jan. 2.
District Attorney spokesman Neal Davis said no formal charges have been filed. Arnold is suspected of child abuse and enabling and Co-rum is suspected of two counts of child abuse, according to an affidavit of probable cause for issuance of felony arrest warrant.
Corum and Arnold are identified in the affidavit as the biological parents of the twins.
The babies were born Nov. 16, 2019, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Shawnee, the affidavit states.
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.
According to the affidavit, the babies initially were taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Shawnee. Co-rum and Arnold had left the hospital prior to DHS taking custody of the five-week-old children.
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 relates 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 states.
The nurse practitioner took photographs of both babies and told the investigator she would forward a copy of those to him.
The affidavit states the investigator went to the Prague residence of Co-rum and Arnold and talked with the family of Co-rum. He said while at the residence he talked with Corum’s brother and was told by the brother he had observed Corum violently shake or sling one of the newborn twins while at the Prague residence.
In the affidavit it says the brother also stated, “Joseph said he could do that because he was the child’s father.”
Other family members reportedly expressed their concern for the children noting they, too, had observed what appeared to be injuries to the children.
The affidavit states that Arnold was strongly resistant to the children being taken to the hospital. It was further stated to investigators that Corum on Jan. 2 had later sent a text message to DHS threatening to kill DHS members.
In the affidavit, it states, “The injuries to the children are considered grave and heightened given their age, approximately five weeks old.”
The affidavit concludes by requesting the Court make a finding of probable cause that crimes had been committed as specified and as a result a warrant be issued for arrest.