Bail set at $200,000 for Olympia woman accused of severely abusing her 3-year-old
A woman accused of abusing her 3-year-old child to the brink of death is being held in Thurston County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
Sarah Lynn Morrill, 40, attended her preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Wednesday. During the hearing, Court Commissioner Nate Kortokrax found probable cause for five crimes.
Morrill is accused of unlawful imprisonment domestic violence, first-degree assault of a child domestic violence, third-degree assault of a child, first-degree criminal mistreatment domestic violence, and tampering with a witness.
In setting the bail amount, Kortokrax reasoned there existed a danger Morrill with commit a violent crime and seek to intimidate a witness or interfere in the case. He also barred her from contacting her three children, her partner and any minor children.
Anthony Nicholas Chernysheff, Morrill’s 35-year-old partner, also has been accused of first-degree criminal mistreatment. He is being held in Thurston County jail in lieu of $50,000.
Kortokrax cited the same reasons for setting Chernysheff’s bail as he did for Morrill’s bail. Olympia police arrested Morrill and Chernysheff on Tuesday following an investigation into the Feb. 2 injury of their child.
Both are slated to be back in court for their arraignments on March 8.
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the alleged abuse from the perspective of law enforcement.
Olympia police responded to a report of an unresponsive child in the 800 block of Seventh Avenue Southeast on Feb. 2.
Once they arrived, they found a very small child laying on the ground unclothed. Morrill and Chernysheff were present along with two other children who were fully dressed, according to the release.
First responders found vital signs on the child and transported him to Seattle Children’s Hospital. Morrill reportedly told police the child fell in the bathroom as the family was getting ready in the morning.
However, police noticed bruises and cuts across the child’s entire body. The statement describes the child as pale and extremely thin.
Detectives later spoke with a doctor who reported that the child’s weight had dropped from 35 pounds in November to 24 pounds by the time he reached the hospital.
The child was severely malnourished and dehydrated, the doctor reportedly told detectives. Even before the child’s most recent injury, the doctor told detectives he likely needed medical attention.
The doctor also told detectives the child suffered blunt force trauma to the head, an injury consistent with the child being thrown at least twice, according to the statement.
As a result of the head trauma, the statement says, the child suffered a brain bleed and stroke that would likely result in brain death.
In an interview with detectives, the statement alleges Morrill initially denied any abuse that caused the child’s injuries. When confronted, she allegedly admitted to being “rough” with the child when she disciplined him.
She also allegedly told detectives she sometimes confined the child to the bathroom for long periods of time and withheld food from him as a form of punishment.
Detectives also interviewed Chernysheff who initially corroborated Morrill’s initial explanation. However, the statement says he later told detectives he was not truthful after learning the child would likely die.
Chernysheff reportedly told detectives Morrill physically abused the child, according to the statement. The day of the incident, he alleged Morrill forcefully slammed the child into a playpen for not getting dressed in the morning.
Following the alleged assault, the child became unresponsive, and Morrill attempted to revive him with cold water. Chernysheff eventually decided to call 911 despite an initial protest from Morrill, per the statement.
In the interview, Chernysheff allegedly admitted he knew the child was being abused and failed to intervene.
