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Investigators: Three Year Old Receives Several Traumatic Injuries; Father, Stepmother Arrested

SALLISAW (KFSM) — The case of a child receiving several traumatic injuries has led to the arrest of his father and stepmother. Benjamin “Zach”...

SALLISAW (KFSM) -- The case of a child receiving several traumatic injuries has led to the arrest of his father and stepmother.

Benjamin "Zach" Barker, 26, the boy's father, and Victoria Barker, 22, the stepmother, were arrested after a Tulsa doctor diagnosed the child with a litany of severe injuries.

Benjaim Barker "enabled child abuse by injury" and Victoria was arrested on suspicion of two felony counts of child abuse by injury, according to a probable cause affidavit. The affidavit also stated that Victoria's actions were "violent" and "non-accidental."

After the child had suffered several injuries, Victoria stated to police that she had scheduled a doctor's appointment for the boy, believing he would be diagnosed with RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder), according to a probable cause affidavit.

Doctors from St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. noted that the boy had elevated liver enzymes, multiple contusions, head injury, non-accidental traumatic injury to child, leukocytosis, hyperglycemia, concussion syndrome and macrocytic anema, which included hematomas on cheeks and multiple hematomas on legs, as well as possible trauma to the gall bladder, the affidavit stated.

When Zach Barker was brought in for questioning in November 2015 by the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office, Victoria Barker called him, the affidavit stated. When Zach Barker told her that he was at the sheriff's office and brought in the child's medical records, Victoria Barker was heard saying: "You've nailed my coffin. Cindy Smith, Dwayne Frizzell and George Bormann will be here Monday morning to arrest on me." She also threatened to beat Zach if she went to jail, and then threatened to kill him.

According to the affidavit, the child had been in custody of Zach Barker since April 2015. He stated that the Victoria Barker, on separate occasions, had slapped the boy open-handed on the stomach in a bathtub, and also grabbed him by the ears when the boy did not pick up toys fast enough while she said "you need to [expletive] look at me."

Zach Barker also told investigators one instance that the boy had pooped on himself, and Victoria put the dirty underwear on top of the boy's head and sprayed him down with a water hose, the affidavit stated.

He also said that Victoria Barker had made numerous threats against him and the children, including burning the house down beating him and killing him.

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday (April 13) and was served on Thursday.

Stacey Slaughter, a district attorney assistant in Sequoyah County, said the long wait between the time the report was filed and the warrant was issued was because of the wait to get an official doctor's opinion from the justice center.

The bond for Victoria Barker was originally set at $50,000, but was reduced to $10,000 according to court documents. Benjamin Barker's bond was reduced to $10,000 from $25,000.

They have both bonded out.

5NEWS reached out to Judge Kyle Waters' office to inquire as to why the bonds were both dropped, but our phone calls have not been returned.

 

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