27 Year Old Onalaska Father in Hot Water for Alleged Child Abuse, ONALASKA, November 12, 2018 - On October 25, 2018, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office along with Onalaska Fire Department First Responders and a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper responded to a 911 medical assistance call of a child unresponsive and not breathing. Due to the quick medical attention administrated by all responders the child which was found cold to the touch and turning blue was quickly revived.
The 2 month old child was transported to Chi St. Luke’s Hospital in Livingston where it was determined that the child had sustained physical injuries and later transported to Texas Children Hospital in Houston.
Medical evaluation of the child by Texas Children Child Abuse Team determined that the 2 month old had had been abused to the extent of causing brain bleeds along with ligamentous stretch injuries as well as other documented abusive injuries.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division detectives began conducting interviews with the assistance of the District Attorney’s Office, Child Protective Services and Polk County’s Child Advocacy Center Childrenz Haven.
After forensic interviews, medical records received and reviewed detectives interviewed an adult male residing in the home. Detectives interviewed 27 year old Austin Michael Drury. Drury provided information as to the events occurring in the home on the morning October 25th.
On November 5, 2018, detectives obtained an Injury to a Child W/INT Serious Bodily Injury arrest warrant from the court of 258th District Court Judge Ernie McClendon where later that day Austin Michael Drury was arrested for causing the injuries to his 2 month old child. Drury was booked into the Polk County Jail where JP 4 Jamie Jones set bond at $100,000 along with bond conditions and an Emergency Protective Order to take effect upon Drury’s release from jail.
Polk County Sheriff Kenneth Hammack would like to acknowledge the dedicated commitment of his Criminal Investigation Division, Polk County District Attorney’s Office, Child Protective Services and Childrenz Haven into investigations of child abuse in Polk County. Without this team of professionals working together these investigation could not be prosecuted.
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