A Warren County grand jury indicted two people in connection with the 2012 death of a toddler.
Robert Roger Dishman, 39, 1555 Pleasant Hill Road, was formally charged with second-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal abuse. Tiffany Dawn Sampson, 28, 3042 Catoosa Drive, Greenbrier, Tenn., was charged with second-degree criminal abuse.
The grand jury heard testimony Wednesday from Detective Brad Stevenson of the Kentucky State Police.
“This has been an extensive investigation by the Kentucky State Police,” Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron said. “They had responded to the death of a minor that had been alleged to have been in the care of both Mr. Dishman and Ms. Sampson.”
The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the autopsy, according to Cohron.
The indictment against Dishman says he is accused of wantonly causing a person’s death on Aug. 24, 2012, in Warren County.
Under state law, second-degree criminal abuse can be charged against a person who abuses someone in his or her custody or permits someone to be abused, placing the victim in a situation that may cause serious physical injury, torture, cruel confinement or cruel punishment.
The indictments against Sampson and Dishman were initially under seal, and the victim’s name is redacted on copies of the unsealed indictments.
The grand jury was presented with several possible offenses that could have been charged against Sampson and Dishman but returned no true bill of indictment against Sampson on charges of second-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter by complicity or second-degree criminal abuse by complicity.
No true bills of indictment were returned against Dishman charging him with second-degree manslaughter by complicity or second-degree criminal abuse by complicity.
As of Friday afternoon, neither Dishman nor Sampson had been arrested.
Court records at the Warren County Circuit Clerk’s Office indicate that there are active arrest warrants against both defendants.
“Warrants are outstanding, and the Kentucky State Police are actively trying to serve those warrants,” Cohron said.
A $50,000 cash bond has been set against Dishman. A $10,000 cash bond has been set against Sampson.
