As an investigation that began July 17 with a 9-1-1 call to Braxton Control continues, a Sutton woman has been arrested. In last week’s Citizens’ News, a front page story detailed the arrest of Zachary Allen Canfield after an infant child wound up in the Myerson Center of Cincinnati Hospital from injuries the medical staff believed resulted from shaken baby syndrome. As that investigation continues, Sutton Detachment of the West Virginia State Police, officers have arrested the child’s mother, Misty Keener, 23, of Sutton.
During the initial call to Braxton 9-1-1 on July 17 the dispatcher could hear screaming in the background and Canfield saying, “Don’t kill yourself,” according to the criminal complaint. Canfield told the dispatcher that Missy Keener was suffering from postpartum depression. Keener got on the phone and said that she had a really long night because her daughter had just gotten out of the NICU and it was “really stress.” Both Canfield and Keeder declined offers by the dispatcher to send help and assured the telecom-municator the “everything was all right.”
On July 31 the WV DHHR received a referral from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital pertaining to Keener’s child which had been transferred to the facility from Summerville Regional Medical Center. Dr. Makoroff at the Myerson Center of Cincinnati Hospital told DHHR that they had determined that there was “significant evidence” and a medical history that supports the shaken baby syndrome. Both Misty Keener and Zachary Canfield denied to medical personnel that they had done anything that would have caused the injuries to the child.
Following an investigation headed by Sgt. B.K. Smith, which included a team of officers and DHHR employees traveling to the Cincinnati medical facility, Canfield was arrested. The criminal complaint stated that Canfield, knowing Keener’s mental state, including her threats of suicide, had left the children in Keener’s care. Canfield was arrested on August 2 and charged with felony child neglect with injury, gross child neglect and conspiracy. He was arraigned before Braxton County Magistrate David Singleton and lodged in the Central Regional Jail in lieu of a $50,000 cash only bond.
As a result of that continuing investigation, Misty Keener was arrested and charged with the same offenses as Canfield. She was also arraigned before Braxton County Magistrate David Singleton where her bond was set at $50,000 cash only. At press time, Canfield had post bond and been released. Keener remains incarcerated at the Central Regional Jail in lieu of bond awaiting further court proceedings.
