GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Scott County Sheriff’s detective offered testimony on Thursday during a preliminary hearing for Damian Holtzclaw.
The 21-year-old is accused of burying a baby he fathered with a juvenile.
During the preliminary hearing, Detective Chad Karsner presented his findings on the case.
“Mr. Holtzclaw sent live video photographs to his juvenile co-defendant, a 15-year-old girlfriend at the time, with whom he was in an active sexual relationship with,” said Karsner.
Based on text messages, Karsner believes the relationship began at the start of 2022, and the teenager became pregnant in May of 2022.
“The juvenile told us that she was concerned if her grandmother had found out that she was having intercourse with Holtzclaw in the house, that she'd be removed and have no resources and nowhere to go,” said Karsner.
In December 2022, the juvenile went to a guidance counselor, saying she had given birth and she believed the baby was stillborn. The guidance counselor informed the school resource officer, who notified Scott County authorities.
“This pregnancy was being hidden from any other adult or guardian or individual, including any medical personnel, for the fact that initially Holtzclaw believed, this statement was given to us, ‘his life would be ruined, and he’d be in legal trouble for having sex with a minor potentially,'" said Karsner.
After receiving notification from the resource officer, Scott County authorities got a warrant for a home in the 5000 block of Paris Pike where Holtzclaw and the juvenile were living together.
There, a baby was found, placed in a plastic bag and buried in the backyard. A medical examiner believes the baby was born between 27 and 30 weeks gestation.
An autopsy on the baby listed the cause and manner of the death as “undetermined,” according to a complaint warrant by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.
Holtzclaw faces a handful of charges, including unlawful transaction with a minor, concealing the birth of an infant, and abuse of a corpse.
