PORTMSOUTH — A Portsmouth couple has been arrested on 10 counts of assault and endangering children after their five-week old twin infants were taken to a Columbus hospital with multiple broken limbs, eye hemorrhages, black eyes and bruising.

Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said Detective Jodi Conkel, who is part of the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Special Victim Unit, received a call on Monday from the Portsmouth Police Department.

Conkel was told that the police had been contacted by a social worker from Nationwide Children’s Hospital about a possible child abuse case and that that they had five-week-old twins in their trauma unit who were transferred from Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth.

Sheriff’s detectives went to the Columbus hospital to talk with the child abuse trauma team of doctors providing treatment to the twins.

Detectives were told that one of the twins was taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center for a possible broken arm. During treatment, the hospital staff observed what appeared to be hemorrhages in both of the twin’s eyes and both babies were transferred to children’s hospital.

Detectives were told that the twins had multiple non-accidental injuries including eye hemorrhages, multiple broken bones in their legs and arms, multiple rib fractures, abrasions to the face to include a black eye and bruising.

 Scioto County Children Services was notified and went to Children’s Hospital and removed custody from the parents. 

Thoroughman said detectives spoke with family members and witnesses.

Afterwards the parents of the twins were brought to the sheriff’s office on Wednesday for interviews.

Both parents, Codi Alexander Ronald Allen, 20, and SueAnn Carter, 27, were charged with two counts of second-degree felony felonious assault, four counts of second-degree felony of endangering children and four counts of third-degree felony endangering children.

Both are being held on a $340,000 bond and appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Thursday.

Thoroughman stated the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit is made up of deputies from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office and officers of the Portsmouth Police Department, which work jointly to investigate crimes against the most vulnerable victims.

This is still an ongoing investigation and anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091