Plaistow woman's trial delayed in abuse case

BRENTWOOD — The trial for a Plaistow mother charged with failing to protect her young son from abuse has been rescheduled to July 29.

Jury selection in the trial of Jessica Linscott, 23, was to begin Monday in Rockingham Superior Court.

Rockingham County Attorney James Reams said the trial has been pushed back; he said he was not authorized to comment further.

Linscott faces six misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child after her boyfriend, Roland Dow, 27, of Plaistow allegedly abused the 3-year-old boy last fall.

Dow is charged with hitting the boy, now 4, and burning his wrist and fingers before the couple dropped him off at Exeter Hospital in November and fled. They were arrested at Universal Studios in Florida after a two-week manhunt.

The boy suffered a severe head injury that led to seizures and temporary blindness. He was transferred to Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon and hospitalized for three weeks.

Dow, who faces up to 95 years in prison, was scheduled to go on trial April 29, but it was rescheduled for September.

He faces a first-degree assault charge and two charges of second-degree assault and witness tampering. Dow also faces five charges for endangering the welfare of a child.

The couple were also charged with witness tampering and wiretapping for allegedly manipulating the boy and secretly recording a home visit by a representative from the state Division of Children, Youth and Families.