BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — More than a year after the death of a young girl, the trial of a Hanover Township woman charged with the murder of the child in her care is scheduled to begin Monday in Butler County Common Pleas Court, The Journal-News reported.
Lindsay Partin, 36, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangering in addition to murder for the death of Hannah Wesche, the 3-year-old girl she babysat.
The trial was scheduled for Dec. 11 but was continued by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Greg Stephens at the request of the defense.
The trial has been continued several times, including in December, when Judge Greg Stephens granted a continuance. Since then, the judge has made it clear there would be no further delays.
Attorneys and prosecutors met for about a hour Friday afternoon in judge’s chambers after prep work preparing the courtroom for trial began.
Defense attorney Chris Pagan requested the continuance in December because he said more time was needed to consult with experts about the timing of the toddler’s head injuries after the timeline had been narrowed by prosecution’s experts.
“This is a medical opinion case,” Pagan said at the hearing last year.
Subpoenas have been issued for multiple doctors from Cincinnati and Butler County as well as deputies, detectives, dispatchers and the child’s father, Jason Wesche.
Partin allegedly fatally assaulted Hannah after the girl exhibited typical child behavior, according to court documents filed by the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office.
She suffered significant and severe bruising to her face, chest and neck on March 6, 2018, because Partin said Hannah “dumped ketchup in the toilet,” according to court documents filed by Butler County prosecutors.
Two days later, after Hannah’s father dropped off his daughter, Partin recklessly abused the girl, resulting in traumatic brain injury, cervical spinal cord hemorrhage and optic nerve sheath hemorrhages, according to court documents.
Partin, the mother of two, called 911 from her Shank Road house on March 8.
In the 911 call placed to county dispatchers, Partin identifies herself and says of Hannah, “all of a sudden she just passed out.”
Partin says she babysits kids and that Hannah had fallen the day before. She tells the dispatcher she is rushing to get dressed, and her young child can be heard crying in the background.
“She fell real bad yesterday … I thought she was fine,” Partin says. She tells the dispatcher in the 13-minute call that Hannah’s father also is with the girl.
Jason Wesche is heard saying, “Hannah breathe. Breathe for Daddy.”
After the girl was dropped off, Partin said she went in the house and “passed out.”
In the 911 call, Partin also urges the little girl to breathe.
“Keep breathing my little love bucket,” Partin says.
Partin, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is free on $75,000 bond.
The trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection this afternoon and last seven days.
The Journal-News is a media partner of WCPO.
