Mr. Lints and Ms. Chadwick, who had previously lived with him and was the mother of two of his children,
were indicted by a Worcester County grand jury on Sept. 25, 2015.
On Feb. 24, Judge Janet Kenton-Walker held a hearing on a motion to dismiss the charges against Ms. Chadwick that was filed by her lawyer, Peter L. Ettenberg.
Mr. Ettenberg argued at that time that insufficient evidence had been presented to the grand jury to support the charges against his client. The defense lawyer said there was no evidence submitted to the grand jury that Ms. Chadwick assaulted Jack, either directly or as part of a joint venture with Mr. Lints, or that she was present when any assault took place. Mr. Ettenberg also said there was inadequate evidence presented to the grand jury that Ms. Chadwick ever had “care and custody” of Jack, a prerequisite for a permitting substantial bodily injury to a child charge.
Assistant District Attorney Courtney L. Sans argued that there was ample evidence to support the charges against Ms. Chadwick. The prosecutor said Ms. Chadwick had assumed the role of a “de facto parent” to Jack and was present in Mr. Lints’ apartment on at least two occasions in the day’s immediately preceding the child’s hospitalization.
“The number and degree of injuries Jack suffered, without a credible explanation, suggested longstanding abuse, and Lints and the defendant were Jack’s only caretakers during the relevant time period,” Ms. Sans wrote in her opposition to the motion.
Judge Kenton-Walker denied the motion to dismiss in a ruling issued Wednesday.
“After a thorough review of the grand jury record, including all of the exhibits, there is sufficient evidence presented to establish probable cause that the crimes alleged in the indictment were committed and that the defendant either committed the crimes as a principal or aided & abetted Randall Lints in the commission of the crimes,” Judge Kenton-Walker wrote.
No trial date has been set in the case. Ms. Chadwick is due back in court Friday and Mr. Lints’ case has been continued to May 30.