Charges Elevated Against Man Accused Of Beating Girl

NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- A prosecutor has filed a more serious charge against a man accused of beating a 3-year-old girl who later died from her injuries.

Henry County Prosecutor Kit Crane on Wednesday filed a Class A felony charge of battery against Jeremiah A. Hoots, 29, the live-in boyfriend of the girl's mother. The charge carries a prison term of 20 to 50 years, compared with six to 20 years for the original Class B felony battery charge filed before the girl died.

Hoots is held on $140,000 bond at the Henry County Jail.

Kaitlynne Jennings, of New Castle, was pronounced dead in Methodist Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit Friday, four days after she was found unconscious.

The Marion County coroner's office said her death was caused by blunt force trauma to her head. Authorities said her injuries included two skull fractures, bleeding in the brain and a broken neck.

The girl's mother, Crystal A. Pollit, called authorities on Dec. 17 after finding her daughter unresponsive.

One of the victim's two young brothers told investigators Hoots had tried to persuade him to take the blame for the girl's injuries.

Hoots, meanwhile, told police the girl was hurt while wrestling with her brothers. Both boys denied hurting their sister, and authorities said her injuries were not consistent with those that could have been caused by other young children.

"I want to see him pay. I want him put away, because he will get what is coming to him, hopefully," said Shawn Jennings, Kaitlynne's aunt. "Hopefully, the courts will see it and he will pay for what he did."