Mother accused of abusing 11-year-old son ordered held pending trial

The mother of an 11-year-old boy authorities say suffered years of abuse has been ordered held in custody pending trial.

A Lake County judge Tuesday granted prosecutors’ petition to detain Priscilla Marshall, 34, of the 300 block of East Grand Avenue, Fox Lake.

She and her boyfriend, Cody R. Marion, 35, each are charged with felony aggravated battery to a child and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery causing bodily harm and endangering the life or health of a child. Marion was ordered held on Monday.

At Marshall’s detention hearing, prosecutors said the child suffered systematic and long-term psychological and physical abuse at her hands and releasing her would be a threat to the child’s safety and mental well-being.

Fox Lake police responded Friday to the area of Nippersink Boulevard and Grand Avenue where they found the child wearing only underwear who appeared to have been battered.

An employee from a local business reported seeing the child with blood on his face and welts, bruises and scratches across his body, police said.

Two other children, aged 1 and 2 appeared unharmed and with two male siblings, who were at school at the time, taken into protective custody.

Authorities said an investigation showed the 11-year-old was struck with household objects, had dish soap poured into his mouth and ears and was not permitted to attend school.

Marshall and Marion were arrested at the home. Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings April 2.