Louisville parents charged in 'significant' child abuse case after 2 children hospitalized

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two people were arrested Thursday in a "significant child abuse case" in Louisville after two children were hospitalized with severe injuries, according to police.

Nicholas Shanks, 27, and Shelby Kuntz, 25, are both charged with two counts of assault-domestic violence, two counts of criminal abuse of a child 12 or under, two counts of wanton endangerment and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.

According to court documents, detectives with the Louisville Metro Police Department's Special Victims Unit/Office of Sexual and Physical Investigations were contacted after a 2-year-old child was taken to University of Louisville Hospital in full cardiac arrest.

Police said the child was taken to the hospital by private means, and 911 was never called.

An arrest citation for Shanks said the child was resuscitated and taken to Norton Children's Hospital.

The hospital reported the child had:

An occipital skull fracture
Appeared to be missing several teeth
Two posterior rib fractures that were at least two weeks old
Extensive bruising
Severe anemia from loss of blood
Elevated CK, indicating muscle damage
Elevated liver enzymes, indicating liver injury
Elevated lipase, indicating a possible pancreas injury
Was extremely underweight/emaciated

Detectives went to a home on Goldenrod Road to check on other children, who were taken to the hospital to be checked. An arrest report states a 1-year-old child was found with "obvious signs of trauma." EMS was called and the child was taken to Norton Children's Hospital. It's unclear how many other children were in the home at the time.

Hospital staff determined the 1-year-old child had:

Three possible skull fractures
Possible jawbone fracture
Blood inside the skull
Was extremely underweight/emaciated
Elevated liver enzymes, indicating liver injury
Severe anemia from loss of blood into the head/belly and soft tissue
Lacerations above both eyes
Unclear trauma to the mouth, with at least one tooth missing
Trauma to the nose

Court documents state the parents, Shanks and Kuntz, were the only people who had been around the victims and the only two in custody of the children.

Police said they failed "to contact emergency medical service" for the children, whose lives were endangered by their injuries.

Shanks is also charged with possession of a controlled substance for meth and one count of promoting contraband.

According to an arrest citation, before taking Shanks to Metro Corrections, officers asked him if he had any drugs or weapons on him. He said "no."

But inside the jail during processing, officers searched his pants and found "multiple pieces of a loose translucent crystal-like substance," consistent with meth. Shanks reportedly told police the substance was rock salt for the roads. A K-9 narcotics officer was called, and police said the dog "hit on" the substance, which was sent off for testing.

Both Shanks and Kuntz are scheduled to appear in court Friday morning for their arraignments.

This story may be updated.

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