Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The mother of a 1-year-old will be charged with manslaughter after the little girl’s death last month. Mila Whipple died in Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo two days after being taken there by Mercy Flight. Hospital staff told police the baby was probably abused. Salamanca Police arrested Mila's mother 24-year-old Leslie Finch this afternoon. Finch is facing charges of second-degree manslaughter, first-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. She's in Cattaraugus County Jail on $100,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Limestone man has been sentenced to one to four years in state prison for promoting a sexual performance by a child. 36-year-old Billy Dixon was also sentenced to two concurrent one-year terms for possession of a sexual performance by a child younger than 16 and unlawful surveillance. The first incident was in March of 2013, the second in February of 2014 and the last in August, all in Carrolton. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jerry Sandusky’s latest appeal process is underway. Sandusky was not at the meeting in the Centre County Courthouse, where Judge John Cleland, met with the convicted child molester’s new lawyer, along with prosecutors. Cleland gave the new lawyer until early May to revise what’s already been submitted to the court for this appeal. Prosecutors will then have 30 days to respond. They also discussed how much of the original grand jury testimony can be used in the appeal. Much of it has remained sealed by a 2012 court order. Sandusky has been jailed since June 2012 when he was convicted on 45 child sex-abuse charges. He could be behind bars for up to 60 years. Pictured, Judge John Cleland The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man who admitted to distributing indecent material to minors in two counties last year will spend the next year-and-a-half to three years in a New York state prison. 24-year-old Shawn Washington gave the material to a minor in Olean on August 23, according to previous WESB reports. The Cattaraugus County sentence will run at the same as the sentenced he’s currently serving for handing out materials in September in Belmont. In December in Allegany County Court he was sentenced to 2 ½ to 7 years for that. Washington was on probation for a string of burglaries in Allegany County in 2012 when he committed the other crimes. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, WESB's LiveLine is running a series covering a variety of related topics. Last week, Cindy Wright of McKean County Early Intervention talked about that program. Tomorrow, Ann Dunkerton will talk about "positive youth development." You can hear LiveLine at 12:35 p.m. on 1490 WESB, or you can listen on demand by going to WESB.com/listen , click on the "local programs" tab and scroll to the date you want. (Wouldn't you like us to get a new website that made it easier? ;) ) On related note, LiveLine has dedicated every Monday this year to child development issues. Today, Alliyson Maduri talked about when to introduce your baby to solid food, and what foods to introduce. She'll be continuing that next week. If you have questions, feel free to give us a call at 368-9372, leave your question here or at facebook.com/1490wesb or email 1490@wesb.com . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since ...

Charges against a Bradford woman who admitted to breaking her 15-month-old daughter’s leg have been bound to McKean County Court following a preliminary hearing in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone. Papers filed in Cercone’s office say 27-year-old Leslie Skaggs took the baby to BRMC for treatment of an abscess and, while she was been examined they determined she had a broken leg. The child was then sent to Women & Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, where they determined she had several old, healing fractures. Court papers say that during the course of the investigation, Skaggs admitted she was responsible for the injury. Skaggs is free on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 68-year-old Salamanca man has admitted to child pornography charges. Prosecutors say Wayne Gilman had child porn in Salamanca between January 23, 2010, and August 24, 2012. Gilman is scheduled for sentencing April 20 in Cattaraugus County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Limestone man has pleaded guilty to promoting a sexual performance by a child and unlawful surveillance. Prosecutors say the first case against 36-year-old Billy Dixon is from March 3, 2013, and involved a child younger than 17. The second was on February 14, 2014, and involved a child younger than 16. The third incident was on August 17, when Dixon recorded a person privately dressing or undressing. All three incidents happened in the Town of Carrollton. Dixon is scheduled for sentencing on April 20 in Cattaraugus County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman is in jail after being accused of breaking her infant’s leg and then waiting nearly a week to take him to the hospital. Police say 20-year-old Tiffany Gardner of Warren told them she knew she broke the four-month-old boy’s leg – when she pulled him across a bed and lifted him by the leg – because he was screaming, the leg was swollen, and it buckled when she tried to stand him on it. She told police she didn’t take him to the hospital because she didn’t have a ride or gas money, and didn’t want to get in trouble. When she finally did take him, she told hospital personnel the baby’s two-year-old sibling broke the boy’s leg. She is charged with felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. The baby is in the custody of Children and Youth Services. A family member is caring for the two-year-old. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Duke Center man has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. Prosecutors say on December 12 38-year-old Walter Randall changed his address and did not notify the state sex offender registry within 10 days. Back in 1995, in Olean, he sexually abused a 12-year-old girl. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 13. ~~~ A Bradford woman has pleaded guilty to a theft charge. 19-year-old Karlie Ryan stole property in Olean on September 13. She is scheduled for sentencing on May 11. ~~~ A 53-year-old man has pleaded guilty to trying to have sexual contact with a child. Prosecutors say Larry Tadder of Olean tried to have inappropriate contact with a child younger than 11 on November 1 in Olean. He’s scheduled for sentencing on April 13. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman who admitted to breaking her 15-month-old daughter’s leg is in McKean County Jail on assault and other charges. Papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office say 27-year-old Leslie Skaggs of Bradford took the baby to BRMC for treatment of an abscess and, while she was been examined they determined she had a broken leg. The child was then sent to Women & Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, where they determined she had several old, healing fractures. Tests were performed to determine if the child suffered from an abnormality of the bones that would cause the fractures, but the tests found nothing abnormal. Court papers say that during the course of the investigation, Skaggs admitted she was responsible for the injury. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Derrick City man is facing indecent assault charges for having inappropriate contact with a 14-year-old girl. Court records say 66-year-old Roy Barclay put his hands down the girl’s pants between March and September of last year in Otto Township. Barclay is free on $20,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man will spend the next two years in state prison for raping a child. 33-year-old Chad Springstead of Allegany had sex with a person younger than 15 in April of last year in the Town of Allegany. Springstead will be on probation for five years when he’s released from prison. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 41-year-old man already in McKean County Jail for sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl is facing more charges – including rape. Police say Joseph Allen Snyder of Kane sexually abused the victim in late November at a home in the borough. On November 26 police filed charges of indecent assault of a person younger than 13 and corruption of minors. Additional felony counts of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, and unlawful contact with a minor have now been field. Snyder remains in McKean County Jail on $200,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man is facing a number of charges for having inappropriate contact with a child. 32-year-old Paul Hensley of Bradford is accused of being in a bed with a boy younger than 13 while they were undressed and their genitals were touching. The alleged incident happened on January 9 in Hensley’s Elm Street apartment. Charges were filed after the child was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Smethport. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

While investigating a property dispute in Smethport state police learned that one of the people involved was a Megan’s Law sex offender and required to register with them. 52-year-old Lawrence Meyer was arrested on a warrant and then sent to McKean County Jail on $10,000 cash bond. In 2007, Meyer was convicted of sexually abusing a child. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 35-year-old woman is accused of hurting a 6-year-old boy who was trying to leave her house while she and a man were arguing. Police say Nicole Harvey was arguing with a man inside her Driftwood home last Tuesday night when the boy got scared and tried to leave. Police say she repeatedly grabbed him to keep him from leaving the house, and caused injuries when she did. Harvey was charged with simple assault and sent to jail lieu of $2,500 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man has admitted to distributing indecent material to minors in two counties earlier this year. 24-year-old Shawn Washington was in Cattaraugus County Court Monday, when he admitted to the August incident. He’ll be sentenced March 9. Today, he admitted in Allegany County Court that he violated probation on several occasions when he handed out the materials in September in Belmont. He was sentenced to 2 ½ to 7 years in state prison. He was on probation for a string of burglaries in Allegany County in 2012. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman is accused of putting a nine-year-old boy in a choke hold. Police say 30-year-old Jamie Jackson of Mount Jewett also pushed the boy’s head into a door, causing a goose egg on his head and scratches on his neck. The alleged incident happened in October at Jackson’s former home in Derrick City. Jackson is charged with assault and is free on $10,000 unsecured bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Port Allegany man is facing child pornography charges in Potter County. 26-year-old Christopher Mitchell is accused of having inappropriate contact with a child younger than 16 in August of 2011 in Ulysses. He is facing five felony child pornography and child sex charges. Mitchell is in Potter County jail on $75,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947