Father Facing Charges In Alleged Abuse Of Twin Daughters
NEW CASTLE (KDKA) -- A mother is defending her son who is accused in the alleged abuse of his young twin daughters. She says there's no way he could have done it, but police disagree.
When his 4-month-old daughter, Autumn, was rushed to the hospital from a New Castle apartment in August, authorities say Christopher Kozura claimed she had a seizure and then rolled off a bed and fell on the floor.
But doctors later told police that the infant's brain injury was consistent with child abuse.
"Once it was determined after a CAT scan that the child had some bleeding on the brain, at which time she was flown down to Children's Hospital," said Sgt. David Cumo, of New Castle Police.
Kozura's mother says her son would never hurt his children.
"He would never, ever in this world hurt his children," said Lori Axe, Kozura's mother. "He loved those… his kids."
After CYS officials took Autumn's twin sister for an examination, doctors discovered she had previously suffered a fractured skull.
"It was determined through interviews with a couple of doctors down [at] Children's Hospital that none of the injuries could have been caused by falls," said Sgt. Cumo.
Kozura's mother and her boyfriend say it's unfair to put all of the blame on him.
"He wasn't the only one who was watching the girls," said Anthony Phillips, Axe's boyfriend.
"Liz's friend's watched them, her mom watched them, we watched them and they're trying to pinpoint what happened to Zala, the old fracture, on him," added Axe.
Kozura is locked up in the Lawrence County Jail. He is charged with several counts of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.
His bond is set at $150,000.
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