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Harrison News-Herald |
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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023
HARRISONNEWSHERALD.COM
Currence sentenced in child’s death BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter
CADIZ—Jessica Currence sat in the courtroom on March 3, awaiting sentencing for the death of her boyfriend’s daughter, 8-year-old Paityn Merkins. Currence pled guilty to reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, and domestic violence. Another charge, originally endangering children, was amended to attempting to endanger children. The state, represented by Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Knight, was the first to give an argument on sentencing. “We’re here today because an eight-yearold child is dead,” she began. “Paityn was a medically fragile child who was placed into the custody of her father many years ago
due to abuse from her biological mother. While living at a house in Moorefield, Paityn received burns to her feet and buttocks three days [prior to her death]. Following those burns, the defendant did not provide medical treatment in the form of a doctor or medical professional. She was never taken to the hospital.” She went on to explain that Paityn died mere days later, on June 27, in the bathtub that was prepared by Currence. The listed cause of death was thermal and blunt force injuries. The investigation revealed significant abuse. The state urged the court not to merge the remaining charges against Currence. “They are offenses of dissimilar import. The defense’s own expert contends that the cause of death was by lack of oxygen in the
bathtub that night. [Currence] did concede that she removed Paityn’s oxygen [nosepiece supply tube] that night… despite having increased oxygen requirement that day.” The state submitted records to the court, including Facebook messages between Currence and others about abuse that was perpetrated against Paityn over time. Additionally, Knight shared that the defendant did not seek medical treatment for Paityn because of previous allegations of abuse. Knight concluded her remarks with a plea to consider the seriousness of the crime, “Any punishment less than incarceration in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction would demean the seriousness of these offenses … obviously, nothing can bring Paityn back, but the court has seen, and
parties have seen the injuries to Paityn, and they are substantial. They would indicate that any person of reasonable faculties would have sought medical treatment for the child.” Several of Paityn’s family members came forward to give victim impact statements to the court. J.D. Hall, Paityn’s uncle, shared his love and affection for his niece. “That little girl stole my heart,” he began. “Admittedly, with my career, I wasn’t able to be around as much as I would have liked to. But every time I got to see her, I fell in love with her all over again. Her smile and her laugh, and those big eyes just made me melt. I know she had the same effect on every life she touched… When I got the news that she died, See SENTENCED Pg.- 3
Something for everyone at Bowerston’s free CPR B’s Bouquets & Gifts class draws in community
Bowerston resident Gary Hoyt performs CPR on a practice mannequin at the free handsonly CPR class. Hoyt said he was there for a few reasons, one being he had recently had to perform CPR on an elderly relative and wanted to learn more. He said he would return for the next classes and planned to bring his wife along so they could learn together. NH PHOTO/EXPOSURE ONE STUDIOS
BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter Keeland Mattern, age 7, poses with one of the floral arrangements at B’s Bouquets & Gifts at the Inn at Lincoln on 425 Lincoln Avenue in Cadiz. NH PHOTO/KRISTI TULLIS
BY KRISTI TULLIS Harrison News-Herald Staff Writer CADIZ—B’s Bouquets & Gifts is now open at the Inn on Lincoln at 425 Lincoln Avenue. Brittany Mattern started out in her garage last August to test her ideas and was soon determined to expand her business. Now, she has begun to fill her store in Cadiz with floral arrangements that anyone and everyone will be pleased to receive. Originally from Hopedale, Mattern knows she has tough competition in the area, but she also admits that she has ideas others don’t have. B’s Bouquets & Gifts will host monthly events for patrons to attend for a fee. On April 28, there will be a kid’s class offered for Mother’s Day. Kids accompanied by an adult will be able to paint a pot, and a week later, they can come back to choose a plant for mom. Other events will be coming as well. By following the Facebook page, patrons can watch for such events as the upcoming ‘Mommy and Me’ class, as well as a succulent bar in spring. The idea is to make something that can be kept as a keepsake for memories that will last. Most events will be for both adults and children. “Over Valentine’s Day, we collected enough money donations that all clients at the Harrison County Home and Gable’s
Care Center in Hopedale received a flower arrangement,” Mattern smiled. “Everyone got something, and it was fun to do. We hope to include the Meadows this summer, we want to make sure everyone gets something, and it has been a blessing to be able to do this for others.” B’s Bouquets & Gifts opened on February 13 of this year. However, Mattern plans to have a grand opening event this spring. “I want a reason to fill the shop, and I want reasons for others to come here,” she added. “We have something for everyone here.” More fundraisers and holidays are on the horizon. Recent ones, such as the Harrison County Cancer Crusaders’ event and Valentine’s Day, were successful. There will also be more floral arrangement classes, like one recently held at the Puskarich Public Library. B’s Bouquets & Gifts offers cash-and-carry displays, bouquets, and sometimes single-stem flowers are available to purchase. Arrangements can be made to order for specific occasions. The store is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekend hours will vary and can be found on the store’s Facebook page. Patrons are asked to follow and like the Facebook page for upcoming events and daily specials. Call (740) 320-4122 to speak with Brittany Mattern or staff regarding daily or ordered arrangements and availability.
BOWERSTON—Captain Adam Reardon’s voice echoed through the fire hall as he asked, “What would you do if I fell over unconscious right now?” Participants in the first CPR community class stared at him for a moment before responding with various ideas like calling 911 or, perhaps as more of an instinctual response, one said, “I’d yell at you.” Reardon, who also teaches EMS and firefighting classes at BCC, offered the free CPR awareness class on March 5 at the Bowerston Fire Department. The class was not a certification course but allowed participants to learn CPR basics. Reardon began with a short list of what to do if you find someone unresponsive. He stressed the importance of maintaining your own safety and the safety of those around you. “It’s easy to get tunnel vision,” he said. “But take a moment to look around.” It’s important to check surroundings for hazards like moving vehicles in a parking lot, puddles of water near electrical equipment, other people involved in the incident, or small things like needles and anything sharp. If there are immediate hazards to the unresponsive person, and you’re able to, move them to a safe location before administering care. If you feel unsafe, call 911 and remove yourself from the situation. Despite the somewhat comical aspect of a first instinct being to yell at an unconscious person, Reardon said that’s what you’re supposed to do after assessing the danger of the situation. He called this step “shake and
shout” and reminded everyone that it’s okay to be loud. If the person does not react, the next step is to call 911. Calling emergency responders is important, especially in rural areas where response time can be longer. One participant shared her personal philosophy, “Better to call and not need them than need them and have failed to call.” Reardon agreed, saying that he was “never upset” about calls that he ended up being unnecessary. It’s best to get emergency workers on their way as soon as possible than to wait for the situation to become worse. Once it’s determined the person is not breathing, CPR should begin and not stop for longer than ten seconds at a time until help arrives and takes over. Class participants were able to practice techniques on adult and infant mannequins. The adult mannequins are outfitted with a clicker in the sternum, so you know if you’ve reached the proper depth in the chest. Reardon was attentive to each class member, taking questions quickly and sharing some wisdom from his over twenty years of experience as a first responder. He spoke on many facets of dealing with an emergency situation, including staying calm, consenting to medical aid, and good samaritan laws in Ohio. Reardon is looking forward to offering more community classes throughout the year on a variety of topics, including fire extinguisher awareness and how to stop bleeding effectively. The classes will take place in the new community room of the Bowerston Volunteer Fire Department. Keep your eye on the department’s social media for more information: facebook.com/Bowerstonfire or on Instagram @bowerstonfire.
OBITUARIES
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Penny Watson
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Saturday, March 11, 2023
Dolores Sedgmer USPS Publication No. 236-080 One Section, 8 Pages Vol. 55, No. 44
Bertha Wentland