Two people have been cited for reckless endangerment after Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a child being thrown from a train trestle into the Wynoochee River on Aug. 24.
The mother of the child has been identified as Taylor Richardson, 22, of Aberdeen. The man, who admitted throwing the child from the bridge, has been identified as Jeremiah Prochaskagoodwin, 35, also of Aberdeen.
The incident generated widespread interest, both online and with the media.
“The case has attracted worldwide attention,” said Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office Chief Criminal Deputy Steve Shumate. “Right now I’ve got somebody on the other line calling from Norway about this.”
Both Richardson and Prochaskagoodwin were cited last week for reckless endangerment, a gross misdemeanor that can be punished by up to 364 days in jail and or a $5,000 fine. The man was also cited for criminal trespass 2nd degree for being on the train trestle which was private property.
According to the Sheriffs Department, on Aug. 24 deputies and a state patrolman arrived within minutes of the call and first contacted two witnesses, one of which had video recorded the incident. A deputy viewed the video and observed what appeared to be a child being thrown from the trestle and landing with a substantial amount of force into the water below. Apparently the child had been wearing a life jacket at the time he was thrown into the river.
The child was released to the mother after aid verified the child was unharmed. Child Protective Services was notified of the incident, and Wednesday morning Aberdeen Police officers Cody Blodgett and Kristy Lougheed, responded to the 2100 block of Bay Ave. in Aberdeen to assist in serving a court order to take two children at the residence into protective custody.
According to an APD press release, when the officers arrived with CPS personnel, the family was at the residence. A dog secured in a back room was labeled as dangerous. During the emotional discussion that ensued between CPS and the family, the dog was accidentally let out of the back room when the grandfather went to the room.
The dog was muzzled but tried to bite Lougheed on the leg and then jumped on her. The dog then turned on Blodgett and tried to attack him. Blodgett attempted to use a stun gun on the dog, but it failed when one of the probes didn’t strike the animal.
Richardson jumped in and grabbed the dog with the 4-year-old in her arms. Blodgett told her to get away from the dog with the child in her arms. Finally the grandfather was able to get a hold of the animal and secure it in the back room.
An Animal Control officer was called and took custody of the dog for impound. The dog had been designated as a dangerous animal previously. CPS took custody of the two children per the court order without further incident.
