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November 30, 2012

Two Plaistow child abuse suspects waive extradition

PLAISTOW – Jessica Linscott and Roland Dow are returning to New Hampshire and are expected to appear in court here sometime next week.

The child abuse suspects, who triggered a manhunt prior to their capture Wednesday at an Orlando theme park parade, waived extradition in a Florida court hearing yesterday.

“They are being held with no bail,” New Hampshire Deputy U.S. Marshal Jeffrey White said. “I believe the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office will be bringing them back sometime next week.”

Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams said arrangements were being made for their return.

Dow, 27, is accused of burning and beating Linscott’s 3-year-old son, James. Linscott, 23, faces child endangerment charges.

They had been on the run for two weeks prior to authorities catching up to them Wednesday at Universal Studios in Orlando.

They had made stops in New York and New Jersey.

Investigators are looking into whether the two had help eluding police.

The boy remains at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon, recovering from burns, head and brain injuries. Plaistow police Chief Stephen Savage said Thursday he had heard the child’s vision had been restored, but he did not know to what extent.

Reams, appearing at a press conference in Plaistow on Thursday, said he wasn’t surprised the two were caught, only by where.

“It seemed incongruous they would end up there,” he said of their arrests at a theme park designed for families.

Officials acknowledged the case has generated great public interest, with hundreds of tips provided during the manhunt and a community outpouring of support for the youngster through gifts of toys and clothing.

Dow faces charges of first- and second-degree assault for allegedly burning the boy’s wrist and fingers, and striking him in the head, causing a brain injury and resulting seizures.

He could be sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison on each charge, if convicted.

He also faces five counts of endangering the welfare of a child for failing to seek medical care.

Linscott faces six child endangerment charges for failing to protect her son. Each charge is punishable by a year in prison.

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