5 charged after child abuse investigation in Morgan County, Ohio
Deputies found a juvenile with significant injuries near State Route 669 in Malta Township, then charged five adults as the case moved toward Monday hearings.
Five adults were charged after Morgan County deputies found a juvenile with significant injuries near State Route 669 in Malta Township on June 23 and arranged immediate medical treatment. The case began as a welfare concern, according to Sheriff James Fisher, and it has now advanced into the county court system with preliminary hearings set for Monday, July 6, 2026.
The defendants are Tony Joseph Price, Dakota Leeton Price, Jessica Woodyard, Deborah Woodyard and Terry Lee Woodyard. Tony Joseph Price and Dakota Leeton Price each face charges of felonious assault and domestic violence. Jessica Woodyard was charged with permitting child abuse and endangering children, while Deborah Woodyard and Terry Lee Woodyard were each charged with endangering children.
Fisher said deputies responded after the juvenile was found near the highway in Malta Township and credited the work of deputies, dispatchers, M&M EMS personnel, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Morgan County Prosecutor’s Office. He said the case is expected to continue through the Morgan County Grand Jury process, signaling that the investigation could lead to further action as prosecutors review the evidence.
Authorities have not released additional details about the juvenile or the injuries because the victim is a minor and the investigation is still active. The sheriff’s office has also stressed that the charges are allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless a court proves the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
For Morgan County families, the immediate next step is the court date in Morgan County Court, where the preliminary hearings will determine how the case proceeds. The broader child-protection questions remain centered on what prompted the original welfare concern, whether earlier warning signs were missed and how local agencies responded once the juvenile was located near State Route 669.
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