The father of a toddler and his girlfriend are facing manslaughter and child abuse charges following an investigation into the toddler’s drowning, and the conditions other children were living in at their shared residence.
On June 17, Kentucky State Police responded to the report of an unresponsive two-year-old child who was found in a backyard swimming pool on Hwy 849 in Graves County.
Troopers and other first responders attempted life-saving measures, but the child was pronounced deceased after being transported to an area hospital, according to state police.
A joint investigation into the circumstances of the toddler’s death, as well as the conditions of the other children who resided at the residence, was conducted by Kentucky State Police detectives and the Department of Community Based Services.
On October 3, the investigation’s findings were presented to a Graves County Grand Jury, which indicted the deceased toddler’s father, 27-year-old Nathaniel Purcell, of Melber, and Purcell’s live-in girlfriend, 26-year-old Courtney Amacher, for second-degree manslaughter, seven counts of felony wanton endangerment, four counts of second-degree criminal abuse of a child (victims under the age of 12), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Purcell was also indicted for tampering with physical evidence.
Purcell was lodged in the Ballard County Detention Center, while Amacher is being held in the Marshall County Detention Center.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
