EASTON, MD - The Office of the State’s Attorney for Talbot County has announced the conviction of a man charged with abusing a 1-year-old boy and assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
According to the State’s Attorney, Earl Kautz of Easton was found guilty of 1st degree child abuse, 2nd degree child abuse, two counts of 2nd degree assault, and one count reckless endangerment on March 28th following a three day trial.
Prosecutors say the 13-year-old victim provided information to Talbot County Social Services on May 9, 2023. Following that interview, the 18-month-old boy was brought to Johns Hopkins Hospital for a skeletal survey and a second one two weeks later. Both surveys revealed fractures in both of the boy’s tibias that indicated non-accidental injury, according to the State’s Attorney.
Witnesses at the Kautz’s trial testified to seeing Kautz shake the boy on multiple occasions in 2022. They also said they had seen bruising on the child’s body after returning from visits with Kautz.
‘These cases involve children who are too young to testify or to speak on their own behalf and are therefore difficult to prosecute,” Talbot County State’s Attorney Joseph Coale said. “ We are extremely grateful to the investigators at the Talbot County Department of Social Services, Easton Police Department and to the doctors at Johns Hopkins who came together to achieve justice in this case.”
Kautz is scheduled for sentencing on June 10th.