Beavercreek woman given maximum sentence for abusing her child

XENIA, Ohio (WKEF) -- Tchanavian Cantrell, 37, received the maximum sentence for reportedly abusing her 12-year-old child. The sentence announced by Greene County Prosecuting Attorney David D. Hayes and imposed by Judge Adolfo A. Tornichio was 8 to 12 years in prison for Endangering Children, a felony of the second degree.

John Cantrell and Tchanavian Cantrell were convicted August 29, 2023.

In October 2021, the 12-year-old was reportedly struck in the lower back by a metal-studded belt, which caused several abrasions, Hayes said. The defendants were also accused of spraying isopropyl alcohol directly onto the open wounds, which inflicted immense pain upon the victim.

Hayes said the child went to school Oct. 19, 2021, but when Tchanavian Cantrell learned the minor was at school and she came to collect her, the child fled the school grounds. Police reportedly found the child in a nearby wooded area, where the child then disclosed the reported abuse. After observing the child's injuries and conducting an investigation, Beavercreek Police arrested all four adults on October21, 2021, and charged them with Endangering Children.

"Tchanavian not only stood by while John Cantrell abused her child, but she participated in the abuse herself. She abandoned her most basic responsibility as a parent by risking the health and safety of her child," Hayes said. "I am thankful for Judge Tornichio's thoughtful consideration of the facts of this case and am grateful that he imposed a sentence of 8 to 12 years. It is my hope that this sentence will further assist the victim as she continues to recover and move on from this horrific event."

John Wesley Cantrell III, 39, was likewise sentenced to 8 to 12 years in prison on October 25, 2023. The trial of a third adult, Tammara Moreland, aka Tammara Cantrell, is scheduled to commence on January 16, 2024.