- A Tooele father and his wife face child abuse charges.
- Travis McCoy and Catherine Dillard allegedly neglected their son's eye care and basic hygiene.
- The couple's home was allegedly filthy with rodents and animal feces.
TOOELE — A father convicted a week earlier of abusing his child is now facing new charges accusing him and his wife of additional abuse as part of an ongoing investigation.
Travis William McCoy and Catherine Ann Dillard, both 33, were charged Monday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated child abuse, one third-degree felony and one class A misdemeanor; and two counts of child abuse, a class C misdemeanor.
The new charges come one week after McCoy was convicted of child abuse with injury, a class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to one year of probation.
In that case, McCoy hit his son, who is under the age of 10, in the face in March, in addition to other abuse, charging documents state. Employees at the boy's school noted the injuries and contacted authorities.
While that investigation was happening, McCoy and Dillard got their home cleaned up, detectives noted. But by July, "the same house has been seen with live mice inside the house and dog feces all over inside the house," a search warrant affidavit alleges. "I was also informed that the child victim in the previous case advised mice were crawling on his bed at night, and at some point, one bit the child on his finger."
Two boys, both under the age of 10, lived in the house. They have since been taken into state protective custody.
According to the new charges filed against both McCoy and Dillard, one of the boys was diagnosed with Bilateral Amblyopia, or a form of "lazy eye."
McCoy and Dillard knew of the boy's condition, but they "did not ensure that the victim made his eye appointments, nor was the victim kept with the proper equipment to do so. (Their) failure to see to the victim's eye care has resulted in extended, if not permanent, damage to the victim's eyesight. Also, the victim's teeth were in tremendous disrepair. The victim had not been to a dentist in over five years and was not taught proper dental hygiene, resulting in extensive rot that required a great deal of repair," the charges state.
Both also lived in "squalor," according to prosecutors. "The house was unkept and crawling with rodents, filth and multiple forms of animal feces."
Prosecutors have requested that arrest warrants be issued for each parent.
Child abuse resources:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
- The Utah Division of Child and Family Services offers counseling, teaches parenting skills and conflict resolution and can connect families with community resources. Its goal is to keep children with their family when it is "possible and safe." Visit dcfs.utah.gov/contact-us/ or call 801-538-4100.
- The Christmas Box House acts as a temporary shelter for children and can provide them with new clothing and shoes, among other services. Call the Salt Lake office at 801-747-2201 or the Ogden office at 801-866-0350.
