Heck said McLean could spend the rest of his life in prison, but he is not eligible for the death penalty.
Also, McLean’s girlfriend, Amanda Hinze, 29, was indicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of kidnapping and two counts of child endangering. She already was charged with four additional counts of endangering children.
They are both due July 8 for an arraignment and in September for a motion hearing. Neither of the attorneys representing the pair responded to messages seeking comment Wednesday.
Takoda’s existence consisted largely of being locked in an attic naked without access to electricity or a bathroom, Heck said.
“These defendants tortured, both mentally and physically, this child for years,” Heck said. “No child should ever have to live in daily fear of abuse by the hands that are supposed to care for them. The monstrous behavior of McLean and Hinze, and the hellish nightmare they created for Takoda Collins will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”
Timeline of Dayton Daily News coverage of children services controversy
Heck also announced Hinze’s sister, Jennifer Ebert, pleaded guilty in May to involuntary manslaughter, a felony in the third degree, and endangering children. She has not been sentenced and there isn’t a next court date, Heck said.
He declined to go into specifics about that case because it’s sealed from the public.
Heck said no felonies were committed by Montgomery County Children Services caseworkers and Dayton police said there is no investigation into their handling of the Takoda Collins case.
The Dayton Daily News launched an investigation after Takoda’s death into Children Services and its handling of complaints.
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The newspaper reported that law enforcement went to Takoda’s home multiple times before his death to check on the welfare of Takoda, but officers found that he was being taken care of. The newspaper also dug into public records that showed Children Services failed state standards and cases were on the rise.
The Dayton Daily News also found that agencies meant to protect the child rarely spoke to each other.
“Takoda’s case sparked a need for change in our system so that no child would ever have to face the threat of suffering, the unwarranted and extensive abuse as was inflicted on Takoda,” Heck said.
He said officials have to do better moving forward.
“What we learn is that you cannot do enough, you can’t do too much to help protect children and it’s incumbent upon all of us to do that as a community,” Heck said. “There were flaws in what happened here, no question, and that’s why we hope by working together that they will never ever happen again.”
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