HANCOCK COUNTY — The Indianapolis police officer accused of battery on a child made his first appearance in Hancock Circuit Court late Monday afternoon.
Derek Ethridge, 29, 1000 block of King Maple Drive, Greenfield, pleaded not guilty in connection with an April 18 incident in which he was accused of spanking his young daughter too hard, causing bruising, according to court documents.
Ethridge, a member of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, appeared in front of Judge Scott Sirk with his Indianapolis attorney, Robert Schembs. The judge read Ethridge his rights and then told him that if he is found guilty of the charge, he could face as many as six years in prison or as little as one year in jail.
A pretrial conference has been set for July 18 with a jury trial set for Sept. 24.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Marie Castetter asked the judge to enforce a no-overnight stay contact order between the defendant and the child. Sirk agreed.
During an interview with police, Ethridge admitted to spanking the child three times within an hour, but he told police he did not think he had injured his daughter, according to an affidavit. He also told his ex-wife the child needed discipline. Police received photos of the bruising from the Department of Child Services showing the marks were still visible six days later.
Ethridge is on administrative paid leave pending the outcome of the case.
