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Parnell custody trial resumes Tuesday

Republican Senate candidate Sean Parnell, right, walks to a courtroom at the Butler County Courthouse for the second day of his child custody trial on Monday.Associated Press

The estranged wife of U.S. Senate candidate Sean Parnell testified Monday that their family went on vacation together after she said he struck and injured one of their children in February 2018.

Testimony in the trial between Parnell and his estranged wife, Laurie Snell, for custody of their three children ages 12, 11 and 8 continued Monday in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

Snell testified last week, and Parnell’s attorney completed cross examination Monday morning before Parnell took the stand in the afternoon. Testimony could conclude Tuesday.

In her testimony last week, Snell accused Parnell of striking one child hard enough through a T-shirt to leave welts.

Under cross examination, she said she didn’t report the incident to authorities or seek medical attention for the child, and the entire family went on vacation following the incident.

She testified about a May 2018 incident in which an angry Parnell punched a closet door, which flew open and hit the face of another child, leaving a bruise.

On Monday, she said she witnessed the closet door incident, but only heard the other incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the full story and support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.

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