Judge gives Zanesville woman max sentence for torturing young children
Zanesville Times Recorder
ZANESVILLE - The primary caretaker of two Zanesville children who endured months of torture at the hands of their guardians was sentenced to 54 to 59-and-a-half years in prison Monday.
While she is not accused of perpetrating some of the most violent acts inflicted on the young boy and girl, Priscilla Meachem was found guilty of participating in their abuse.
She and her boyfriend, Elijah Waltz, previously pleaded guilty to two first-degree felony counts of kidnapping, two second-degree felony counts of felonious assault and two second-degree felony counts of endangering children. Waltz was convicted on two additional counts of felonious assault and was sentenced to 70 to 75-and-a-half years in prison.
NEW LEXINGTON - Charges have been filed on a 34-year-old Columbus man arrested in the shooting of a teenager in New Lexington last week.
Perry County Prosecutor Joseph Flautt said Mustafa Abdos-Saboor Id-deen has been charged in municipal court on one second-degree felony count of felonious assault.
According to Police Chief Scott Ervin, Thursday evening officers were called to the 200 block of Lincoln Street around 8 p.m. for an altercation involving a firearm.
When they arrived, they found the child had been shot. The teen was taken to a hospital in the Columbus area to be treated.
Witnesses helped police identify the suspect, who was arrested and taken to jail.
In court, Muskingum County Assistant Prosecutor John Litle commended the teacher who recognized signs of abuse in the 11-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister.
The suspected abuse was reported to Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services on Sept. 30 after the kids appeared online for school with their heads shaved bald. That same day, prosecutors said the computer camera turned off twice, one of the times the boy returned holding his mouth as if in pain and without speaking.
Once the children were placed into foster care, the details of what had happened at the hands of two adults, Priscilla Meachem and her boyfriend, Waltz, were revealed.
Zanesville Times Recorder
NEW CONCORD - Muskingum University is preparing to enter its third academic semester during a pandemic, this time with additional protocols in place to prevent outbreaks among students and staff.
Testing efforts will be increased on campus through the end of the school year, beginning before students return to campus on Monday. And additional housing is available should students test positive.
During their winter break, each student was mailed a home COVID-19 test kit to be administered on their own and sent back for lab results.
Faculty and staff are also participating in the testing before returning to work.
Zanesville Times Recorder
ZANESVILLE - One lane of I-70 east was shutdown for about an hour near New Concord due to a crash late Tuesday morning.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the driver of a white Hyundai Acura said he was changing lanes and hit a semi-truck, causing him to drive into the median where his car overturned.
He sustained minor injuries to his hand, while his two female passengers were not hurt.
The driver of the semi-truck was unable to be located after the crash.
New Concord police and fire assisted on scene.
cmholmes@gannett.com
Twitter: @cmholmesgannett