Solsberry couple accused of battery to a juvenile

An investigation by an Indiana State Police trooper into a case of battery to a juvenile has resulted in the arrest of a Solsberry woman and her boyfriend. One or the other of them are facing charges ranging from domestic battery and battery with bodily injury to felony strangulation and neglect of a dependent.

Anthony James Michael

Kira Michele McCoin

Anthony James Michael, 31, and Kira Michele McCoin, 34, both from Solsberry, were arrested on Monday, September 21. They were both wanted on warrants issued last Friday and they turned themselves in on Monday and were booked in between 5-6 p.m. Since then, they have both been released after posting bond.

Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin has been investigating incidents of battery to a juvenile allegedly perpetrated by both Michael and McCoin. He began his investigation late last Tuesday afternoon, September 15, when he was contacted by the football coach at Eastern-Greene High School who said a student had confided in him that he had been abused by Michael and McCoin over the prior weekend.

Trooper Garvin responded right away to talk to the coach and to the student. Before a longer interview with the juvenile was conducted, Trooper Garvin requested a caseworker from the Greene County Department of Child Services (DCS) respond and they talked to the juvenile together. Photographs were taken of injuries.

Immediately after talking with the juvenile, McCoin came to pick the juvenile up at the school and Trooper Garvin asked her to travel to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department to speak with him there. She agreed. After that interview, Trooper Garvin asked Michael to also travel to the sheriff’s department for an interview and he agreed but didn’t have a way to get there. Trooper Garvin picked him up and transported him for the interview.

By the time Michael’s interview started, it was almost 11:30 p.m. and by the time the interview ended, DCS had made the decision to remove the juvenile and another child from the home. They were placed with a family member.

The next day, Trooper Garvin met one more time with the juvenile at the school.

By last Friday, the Greene County Prosecutor had filed criminal cases against both Michael and McCoin and warrants were issued for their arrests.

Anthony Michael is facing preliminary charges of:

• Battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a Level 6 felony,

• Strangulation, a Level 6 felony, and

• Domestic battery with a prior conviction, a Level 6 felony.

Kira McCoin is facing preliminary charges of:

• Neglect of a dependent – placed dependent in a situation that endangered the dependent, a Level 6 felony,

• Domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor, and

• Battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.

During all of the interviews, the juvenile, Michael and McCoin confirmed there had been a disagreement which escalated to the physical level. McCoin is accused of hitting the juvenile in the face four or five times with an open hand and/or a closed fist, then telling the juvenile if he did not like living there he could pack his things. She then asked Michael to forcibly remove the juvenile from the house. Michael is accused of having his arm around the juvenile’s neck as he was forcibly removing the juvenile from the house, restricting the juvenile’s air supply to the point where he could not breathe. He’s also accused of striking the juvenile with an object after they were outside the house. The juvenile then left the property on foot, was picked up on the road and then stayed with a family member.

No additional details will be included in this story.

Both Michael and McCoiin are scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court for initial hearings on Monday, October 5.