A Christian County Grand Jury returned indictments for rape and criminal child abuse cases Friday.
Indicted for first-degree rape, resisting arrest, fleeing or evading police and disorderly conduct is 32-year old Orlando Leavell of Hopkinsville, who was already on the Sex Offender Registry when the incident is alleged to have occurred in May. He reportedly enticed the female victim away from public view just after 4 p.m. He then allegedly physically assaulted her and forced sexual intercourse.
The woman was able to escape and fled to the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library, where police and EMS were contacted. She was taken to Jennie Stuart Medical Center for treatment.
Police were able to use video surveillance on the rail-trail to obtain a suspect description and Leavell was located at the West Seventh Street McDonalds. He had open scratch marks on his forearm that appeared to be defensive wounds and he matched the description of the suspect, according to the report.
Leavell allegedly tried to run from the McDonalds while being questioned, but was immediately caught and arrested.
Indicted for second-degree criminal child abuse is 34-year old Tamelia Thomas of Hopkinsville. She is alleged to have intentionally subjected her 9-month old daughter—who was in her custody—to neglect or abuse, causing injury.
Thomas reportedly told the child’s father that the infant had fallen off of a couch and landed on a toy, causing a black eye and the father took the child to Jennie Stuart Medical Center. Medical staff observed an obvious black eye, a small abrasion on the baby’s forehead and a red mark on the bridge of her nose, and called police.