Two men accused of terrorizing mother, son
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: September 15, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Two men have denied charges they beat a mother and son with baseball bats during a home invasion.
Joshua Hill, 18, of Bethel, and Mikel Brady, 20, of Randolph, pleaded innocent in White River Junction District Court on Sept. 8 to felony charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling and assault and robbery with injury, which carry a combined maximum penalty of 45 years in prison.
Hill and Brady are free on $5,000 and $10,000 bail respectively.
According to affidavits filed with the court, June 30, police investigated a burglary at 3554 Route 14 in Royalton, where they encountered a shattered sliding glass door and blood on the walls.
Janet Babcock told police she was sitting in her breakfast nook when a masked intruder used a baseball bat to break her glass door, records state. That intruder was followed by a second, who went upstairs to the bedroom of her son, Kevin Babcock, 17.
While one intruder dragged Janet Babcock upstairs, the other woke Kevin Babcock by striking him repeatedly with a baseball bat, he told police, according to affidavits. Janet Babcock told police she threw her body over her son's to protect him and was struck with a baseball bat as well, records state.
Kevin Babcock told police he gave the intruders a lock box containing about $600 and as the intruders bound him and his mother with duct tape, Janet Babcock mentioned a safe in the basement, records state.
Affidavits state the intruders freed Kevin Babcock to go downstairs and open the safe and while there he dialed 911. Realizing Babcock had called for help, the intruders fled the house, records state.
Both Janet and Kevin Babcock suffered multiple abrasions and had bruises consistent with being struck with bats, police said.
Police interviewed several people and their investigation led to Hill and Brady, and Sept. 4 police executed a search warrant for Hill's residence, where police found two baseball bats and a plastic bag containing masks that were consistent with the descriptions given by the Babcocks, records state.
Police interviewed Hill and Brady, who both reportedly confessed to robbing the Babcocks. Hill told police he and Brady were paid $1,000 by a third party to commit the robbery, affidavits state.
"Brady and Hill are the only ones who have been charged so far," said Windsor County Deputy State's Attorney Heidi Remick. "I anticipate other charges being filed but I can't speak to what those charges are or who will be charged until I receive a case from state police, which I have not received."
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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