Jail term given in child endangerment case
A Butler man was sentenced to county jail after being charged with overdosing on heroin and pushing a stroller carrying his child down an embankment.
Charles J. Brookbank, 37, was sentenced to 30 days to 12 months in Butler County Prison, followed by a year of probation by President Judge Thomas Doerr. He was also ordered to pay court costs and complete a drug and alcohol assessment and any recommendation from that assessment as well as 40 hours of community service.
His attorney, assistant public defender Charles Nedz, said Brookbank has served past his minimum sentence and asked for immediate parole. Doerr gave Brookbank time served credit as allowed by law.
Brookbank pleaded guilty May 8 to misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person.
Butler police initially charged Brookbank with two counts of endangering the welfare of children, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, possession of drug paraphernalia and summary public drunkenness after an incident Sept. 17 on East Jefferson Street.
Police responded to a report of an intoxicated man pushing a stroller, and Brookbank was seen pushing the stroller over a 7-foot embankment and down a hill with a 5-year-old boy inside, police said.
Several witnesses reported seeing Brookbank snort a bag of heroin.
Brookbank was unable to answer basic questions, according to police, before admitting to using a bag of heroin. Police said a search of the stroller turned up two homemade marijuana pipes.
Brookbank became non-responsive and was revived with Narcan after being detained, according to police. Butler City Fire Department and Butler Ambulance Service checked on the 5-year-old, who appeared to be unhurt. He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital and was later released to his mother, police said.
Brookbank said he has been clean for 8 months and has “been doing everything I can to stay clean and do right by my kids.”
