Task force arrests 2 women linked to Springfield child abuse investigation

SPRINGFIELD — Two women linked to a Springfield child abuse investigation are in custody after warrants were issued for their arrest, according to the U.S. Marshals.

Amber Cave and Haley Jones were arrested in the 2100 block of Morgan Street by Springfield Police and the U.S. Marshals Service Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team.

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U.S. Marshals said Cave had arrest warrants from the Clark County Common Pleas Court for two counts of kidnapping and four counts of endangering children. Jones had charges of two counts of child endangering and one count of tampering with evidence.

Cave had initially been arrested back in March after police launched an investigation into suspected child abuse that left her two sons “very seriously” injured, Springfield Police said. Jones was interviewed as part of the investigation.

Police opened an investigation after responding to the home Cave was staying at in the 2100 block of Morgan Street on Saturday around 7:10 p.m. Officers were sent there after getting a 911 call about a 2-year-old with low body temperatures, according to court records.

Cave told police she was giving the 2-year-old a bath and her 3-year-old turned the water from warm to cold.

“Amber advised (the 2-year-old) was in the water for up to 15 minutes prior to her realizing it was ice cold,” according to court records.

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Cave’s roommate, later identified as Jones, called 911 after she and Cave were unable to warm the 2-year-old up.

The 2-year-old was wrapped in blankets and taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center, where police found the child “appeared to be malnourished and badly bruised.”

The child had “a large green/yellow bruise above his left eye.” He also had other bruises throughout his body and a lump on his head, according to court records.

Cave told police the 2-year-old easily bruised and had other issues with his health. She said she thought some of the health issues were related to her separation from the boy’s father, who hadn’t seen the toddler in over a year.

Court records showed Cave telling police “she has no clue how long it’s been since (the 2-year-old) has seen a doctor, due to COVID.”

She also told police she is six months pregnant with another child.

After the 2-year-old was transferred from Springfield Regional Medical Center to Dayton Children’s Hospital, police checked on Cave’s 3-year-old son.

Cave “was afraid to go to Dayton Children’s due to CPS taking (the 2-year-old) the previous time there,” court records read.

Officers “immediately observed a red mark on his forehead, large yellow bruising on his left cheek, a bruise near the middle of his back, and scratches on his right shin,” court records showed about the 3-year-old. He also had other bruising all over his body.

The 3-year-old ended up needing medical help as well and was taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital. Both kids were admitted to the intensive care section of the hospital, records show.

Detectives ended up going to Dayton Children’s Hospital with a social worker and police said “Amber had made contradictory statements to Social Work at DCH.”

The 2-year-old boy had to have a feeding tube put in and police said he will be in the hospital for an undetermined amount of time. The 3-year-old ended up being released on Tuesday and was taken into foster care. Clark County Job and Family Services was granted custody of the 2-year-old boy, police said.

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