COSHOCTON, Ohio -
The mother accused of biting, burning and breaking the bones
of her 3-month-old baby boy pleaded guilty Thursday.
Kelsey Starkey, 20, and Christopher Starkey, 22, are facing
felony child endangering charges.
Kelsey pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering children
and faces up to 16 years in prison.
According to investigators, the Starkey's 3-month-old son
was hospitalized after being bitten, burned, and suffering multiple broken
bones at the hands of his parents.
In a jailhouse interview with NBC4's Denise Alex, the
parents admitted to the abuse, and agreed that they don't deserve their child
back after what they've done.
"I picked him up around the ribcage and hit his head
against the swing," Kelsey said. "I went to change his diaper and he
was moving his leg a lot, so I picked up his leg and then put it down too hard
and his leg got broke."
Kelsey said she got frustrated with her son and took it out
on him in the home where she and her husband lived with her mom. She said it
was her mom who called children services.
Christopher Starkey said during the interview that he takes
responsibility for the bites and burns to the child. He said that he burned the
child with a cigarette in the forehead several times when the boy wouldn't stop
crying.
"I tried feeding him. He wouldn't stop crying. I
changed him. He wouldn't stop crying. I … tried to burp him. He wouldn't do it.
He just cried," Christopher said.
Coshocton County authorities said the boy was hospitalized
in Akron. The 13-pound baby sustained right femur and fibula fractures, along
with 12 fractured ribs.
The judge said he raised Kelsey's bond from $75,000 to
$250,000 because she is considered to be a flight risk.
Besides the prosecutor, Kelsey's family said she deserves
time behind bars.
"I knew she probably wouldn't change his diaper or
something like that because of her problems, but I didn't ever think she'd do
this," said Kelsey's father, John Countryman.
Amy Hupp, Kelsey's mom, said she called Coshocton County
Children Services when Kelsey told her of the abuse.
"She called me that day at 10 until 3 and said CJ had
bruises on his forehead from head-butting them," Hupp said.
Kelsey told the court Thursday that she is bipolar, has
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and is schizophrenic.
But, she said none of her illnesses impaired her judgment
when the abuse occurred.
Kelsey is expected to be sentenced within the next four to six
weeks.
Her mother is still fighting for custody of the baby. He
remains in the custody of children services and his condition is improving.
Her husband remains in jail on similar charges.
Kelsey Starkey
