Powell woman charged in child abuse case

Prosecutors have charged a Powell area woman who has ties to Big Horn County with aggravated child abuse, alleging she severely burned a 4-year-old’s head with hot water earlier this month. 

Richellena Rule-Monroy, 26, was arrested Friday afternoon, July 10, and she remained in custody on Monday afternoon, July 13, with bail set at $125,000 cash or surety; the child — who was also diagnosed with other injuries that included bleeding around the brain — remained hospitalized in an intensive care unit at a Utah burn center.

Rule reportedly told authorities that she accidentally spilled hot water on the child while cooking, while the child reported that Rule had intentionally poured the scalding water on them.

The felony charge filed by the Park County Prosecuting Attorney Bryan Skoric alleges that Rule inflicted serious bodily injury either intentionally or recklessly.

“Either way, we’ve got serious injuries to a child,” Skoric said at a Monday afternoon hearing, “and (in) the state’s estimation, there’s not much more public safety risk than someone causing harm to a 4-year-old child.”

Rule’s defense attorney, Branden Vilos, indicated that his client had offered explanations of the injuries and said, “she’s going to defend these charges that have been leveled against her.”

An investigation and arrest

Charging documents, court records and statements made in court indicate that Rule and her own child had been living in rural Powell with the 4-year-old and the 4-year-old’s father. However, on July 2, while the father was reportedly out of town, Rule reportedly brought the 4-year-old to the Powell Valley Hospital emergency room.

Rule said she’d been heating water on the stove for oatmeal when she accidentally splashed some of the water onto the child’s ear, Skoric wrote in a statement. Rule said she decided to go to the ER the following morning, when the ear appeared red and swollen.

Hospital staff reportedly noted blisters on the ear, in the hair and inside the child’s lip, apparently from burns. They and a caseworker with the Wyoming Department of Family Services also noticed “many bruises and scabs” on the child’s arms, legs, face and nose, Skoric wrote. 

Following exams and testing, medical personnel also noted a tear on the child’s bottom, plus a bump on the child’s scalp, internal bleeding near the child’s brain and a fractured occipital bone near the base of the child’s skull.

Dr. Kelly Christensen later noted “multiple abrasions that are very concerning for a child of this age,” Skoric’s statement says, along with “multiple bruises in different stages of healing.”

Given the severity of the burn, Christensen reportedly expressed surprise that the child’s caregiver hadn’t brought them to the ER sooner.

“Overall, I think the multiple of these findings suggest strongly that this child is likely to be a victim of physical abuse,” Christensen reportedly wrote.

The child was taken into protective custody.

Skoric said the 4-year-old also told law enforcement that they’d been thrown down the stairs by Rule at some point.

However, Vilos said his understanding is that the Department of Family Services was “given some information” about some of the “long laundry list of alleged injuries.” He also said it’s his understanding that the hospital discharged the child at some point.

However, Skoric said the child’s ear wound later worsened, and they were flown by air ambulance to the University of Utah’s burn center on July 8. A child abuse and neglect team from Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital assessed the 4-year-old and concluded that the burns were “non-accidental,” Skoric wrote.

According to Vilos, Rule was asked to report to the Park County Annex on Friday afternoon, July 10, for a urine test. When she showed up about 20 minutes later, Rule was instead arrested on the aggravated child abuse charge.

Arguing bond

At Monday’s hearing, Park County Prosecuting Attorney Bryan Skoric requested a $150,000 cash only bond for the “extremely serious case.” He said the children’s hospital team found that injuries to the child’s ear, neck and face were “consistent with inflicted trauma.”

“The state believes the danger the community posed by the defendant in this type of case is significant,” Skoric said, while the potential prison time associated with a conviction creates a risk of Rule fleeing.

However, Vilos said that Rule has lived in Park County for several years and was raised in Big Horn County, where she has extended family; a number of those family members were in the Cody courtroom on Monday.

Vilos also said his client has no criminal history. 

Rule’s own child is a similar age “and there’s never been an allegation, there’s never been any evidence” of abuse, Vilos said.

“That child has not been taken into protective custody,” Vilos said, though, “I suppose after this hearing, there will be an attempt on that one.”

Vilos noted that his client reported to the annex and has retained as attorney, all indicating that, “she’s not intending to run.”

Further, Vilos said there was no risk to public safety since the 4-year-old is in protective custody and he questioned the strength of the state’s case.

“If we’re just looking at the gravity of the allegations, I don’t believe that even closely, remotely warrants $150,000 cash only,” he said.

Skoric stuck with his recommendation, reiterating the seriousness of the allegations.

Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah opted to set bond at $125,000 cash or surety, which means Rule could be released by temporarily posting $125,000 in cash or hiring a bondsman for roughly $12,500.

A preliminary hearing in the case was tentatively set for July 22, though Skoric said in his statement that authorities are continuing to investigate the child’s other injuries. He said Monday that the child is expected to remain hospitalized “for some time.”

Editor’s note: Richellena Rule-Monroy is a 2018 graduate of Lovell High School.