THURMONT,
Md. – Not only has the Frederick County State’s
Attorney’s office dropped the child-abuse charge against
Thurmont Commissioner Ron Terpko, but the Frederick County
Department of Social Services has also ruled out child abuse
in the case.
In
a letter to Terpko dated June 29, Diana Harrison, social
worker for the case wrote, “The child’s health
or welfare was not harmed or placed at substantial risk
or harm.”
Terpko’s
son Brandon was arrested on June 14 along with two other
juveniles for smashing 13 mailboxes in the Thurmont area.
Following the arrest, Terpko left work to pick up his son.
An upset Terpko struck his son once in the face with either
a closed fist or open hand, depending on which police report
is cited.
Because
of this action and the fact that Brandon was handcuffed
at the time, County Deputy John McQuain arrested Terpko
and charged him with second-degree assault and child abuse.
State’s
Attorney Scott Rolle dropped the child abuse charge on June
28. He said at the time, “That charge, no matter what
version of the incident you believe, doesn’t fit the
definition. The law says you need to prove intent to maim
or cause physical damage. This simply doesn’t fit.”
When
Assistant State’s Attorney Patricia McLane, who is
prosecuting the Terpko case, was asked whether the Child
Protective Services investigation played a role in the state
dropping the child abuse charge, she said, “No. We
received it (the investigation report) two weeks after we
decided not to prosecute for child abuse.”
Child
Protective Services investigates all cases where there is
a suspicion of sexual, mental or physical abuse or neglect.
Frederick
County Child Protective Services investigated 528 abuse
cases in 2005 and found evidence of abuse in 82 of them,
according to a state report. Over the past nine years, the
county agency has averaged 491 investigations a year and
found evidence of abuse in an average of 69 cases each year.
The
Department of Social Services closed the case against Terpko
because the “safety of the children is assured”
and “No further services are needed.”
Terpko
referred questions related to the case to his attorney Norman
Usiak, who chose not to comment on the results of the investigation.
