Dad accused of fracturing baby’s skull indicted with 5 others, WV officials say
Six people were indicted in connection with the abuse and neglect of an 8-month-old who was treated for serious injuries multiple times at different hospitals in West Virginia, officials said.
The baby’s father and mother, 20-year-old Eric Auen Jr. and 22-year-old Alexis Benedum of Orlando, West Virginia, were arrested in December on child abuse charges after the baby was treated at a children’s hospital for a fractured skull and ribs and bleeding in the brain and behind the eyes, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said in statements at the time.
This wasn’t the first time the baby was treated for incidents of physical abuse, police said.
The baby was seen at a hospital in October and November for various fractures and chest contusions, according to court documents, WDTV reported.
Benedum said she knew Auen had been abusing the baby since September, according to the outlet.
Auen was indicted April 28 on 12 charges, including child neglect and abuse and malicious assault, and Benedum was indicted on one count of child abuse and seven counts of gross neglect, according to a news release from the Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Four others — Stephen Benendum, Kristina Benedum, Katelyn Bunch and Jessica Embrey — were also indicted on child neglect, according to the release. Kristina Benedum, Bunch and Embrey face charges related to reporting abuse as well.
Orlando is about a 225-mile drive southeast from Columbus, Ohio.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Dad accused of fracturing baby’s skull indicted with 5 others, WV officials say."
