Attorney looking forward to telling public defendant’s side of facts eventually
By Bethany Hooper
Associate Editor
(Oct. 3, 2024) The case against a former Berlin daycare worker accused of child abuse will be forwarded to Worcester County Circuit Court as a result of a criminal indictment filed this week.
On Sept. 234, Lionel Evans, 57, of Princess Anne, was indicted in Worcester County Circuit Court on charges of second-degree child abuse, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. While Evans was set to appear in district court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, his attorney, Thomas Maronick Jr., said the case will now be forwarded to the higher court. An initial appearance has been scheduled for Oct. 9.
“What happened today with Mr. Evans is the case was indicted to circuit court,” he said. “What that means is they have presented his case to a grand jury, presenting just the state’s information. What’s important with that is that the defense has not had an evidentiary hearing. We’ve not had a chance to present evidence, we’ve not had a chance to challenge any of the evidence … All they’ve done is accuse him of a crime, and it’s been forwarded to the high court.”
Last month, Berlin police launched an investigation after the parent of a four-year-old attending the Berlin Activities Depot reported an incident that occurred at the facility’s playground on Aug. 13. The parent told officers Evans, a gymnastics coach at the Berlin Activities Depot, had grabbed his child by the back of his neck, leaving a red mark, scratches and bruising. The parent said his child was not listening and had run away from Evans on the playground.
“Child protective services was contacted, and a forensic interview was conducted on August 14, 2024,” a statement of charges reads. “The child disclosed during the interview that he had marks on his neck. The child stated that Lionel (Evans) did it while he was playing on the playground. The child stated that Lionel (Evans) put his hand around the child’s neck and that it caused his neck to hurt. The child stated that afterwards, he was crying and Lionel stated to the child he was going to be in timeout for what he did.”
Police report the footage obtained from the Berlin Activities Depot showed the child running toward the playground equipment and Evans chasing after him. According to charging documents, Evans grabbed the child by the back of the neck, and the child fell to the ground. Police said Evans was also seen “forcefully grabbing the child’s right upper arm and lifting him to his feet.”
As a result of the investigation, Evans was arrested on one felony charge of second-degree child abuse and one misdemeanor charge of second-degree assault, and a preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 24 in Worcester County Circuit Court. Maronick said this week his client’s arrest has resulted in his termination from the Berlin Activities Depot and his suspension from USA Gymnastics.
“He came here because he wanted to share that knowledge and expertise and help kids to become the best that they can be,” he said of his client’s employment with the Berlin Activities Depot. “And these allegations have been devastating. Not only does he deny them, but the fact is he is on suspension as far as his association with USA Gymnastics now because of these charges … Obviously he wants to get past these charges and go back to what he does really well, helping kids and helping them grow.”
Evans has continued to deny the allegations, and several parents and children at the Berlin Activities Depot have voiced their support for the former gymnastics coach. Since Evans’s arrest, Berlin Activities Depot owner Carmella Solito has invited parents to view video footage of the incident.
“Our center remains committed to providing the highest standard of care for your children,” the message reads. “We are continuously evaluating and improving our practices to ensure we meet and exceed all safety and care requirements set forth by the state of Maryland for childcare.”
Evans’s arrest came on the heels of another child abuse investigation, which resulted in two former daycare workers at the Berlin facility being arrested earlier this year. On Aug. 19, Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Brian Shockley found Heather Ward, 40, of Berlin, guilty of nine counts of second-degree assault on which she had tendered an Alford plea, which acknowledges that the state has enough evidence to prove Ward guilty beyond a reasonable doubt should the case proceed to trial. The remaining 81 counts in her case, including 10 felony charges, were not prosecuted as part of Ward’s plea agreement with the state. In June, a second classroom worker, Catherine Deutsch, 32, of Berlin, was arrested on 11 charges of failure to report child abuse/neglect and four charges of neglect of a minor. A trial in that case will be held next month.