Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 20, 2024
Zanesville Man Confesses to Child Abuse Charges
A Zanesville man appeared in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court to confess to charges of violent child abuse.
Robert L. Durham, II, age 29, of Zanesville, appeared before Common Pleas Judge Mark C. Fleegle on May 17, pleading guilty to felony charges of kidnapping, strangulation, and endangering children.
On March 3, Durham became angry at noise made by the victim, a two-and-one-half-year-old child. Durham held the child down by the face and throat and began slapping him across the face several times. He then straddled the child, pinning the child in place while he threatened additional blows and followed through with full-strength strikes upon the child.
On March 12, a witness reported the incident to Muskingum County Children’s Services and later, Durham’s brother Jonathan Durham provided a video he had taken of Durham assaulting the child.
As the video continues, Durham covers the child’s mouth and nose while striking him again with an open palm. Durham can be heard saying “that’s enough, keep whining and I’m going to smack you” and “I don’t want to hear a sound.”
Jonathan Durham previously plead guilty to child endangering for videotaping the incident and not intervening to stop the assault. Robert and Jonathan Durham will be sentenced at a later date.
Muskingum County Assistant Prosecutor John Litle says Durham’s actions are disturbing and unacceptable.
“The video of an adult man holding down a two-year-old by the neck and hitting the child in the face is extremely disturbing,” Litle said. “It is conduct which is absolutely unacceptable in this community.”
Litle says he credits the Zanesville Police Department for their hard work investigating the case.
“Zanesville Police Patrolman Bill Baron exercised exceptional judgment while handling this call resulting, most importantly, in the child’s safety, but also giving us a great case and swift arrests,” Litle said.
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