Seriously Injured Bend Toddler Improves

As a 2-year-old Bend boy recovers from serious injuries at a Portland hospital, court records show his mother?s boyfriend has a history of domestic violence.

Jeffrey Neeley, 21, was arrested early Wednesday on three counts of probation violations while his girlfriend?s toddler son recovers at Legacy Emanuel Hospital, where he was flown Tuesday after his mother and Neeley brought him to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend. The mother and child?s names have not been released by police, but the child had improved to good condition Tuesday at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland..

Police are trying to determine if the child?s injuries resulted from an accident or abuse.

Neeley had two convictions last July for domestic violence-assault and threatening to commit domestic violence. Prosecutors say that means he injured someone living in his immediate household.

Police say Neeley lives with his girlfriend, the boy and another roommate in a duplex on Southeast Stratford Court, where police have been investigating the scene since Tuesday afternoon.

Officers stressed Friday there have been no arrests as of yet specifically related to the toddler?s injuries.

The police investigation started Tuesday, but it was only Thursday that police were able to confirm any details to NewsChannel 21.

A tight-knit group of neighbors that live there have been able to only speculate as to an Oregon State Police forensics van in the driveway of the duplex.

“We were very shocked and sad to see stuff come out of that house, and cops coming out with white plastic booties and blue gloves,” Jessica Fraker told us Thursday morning. “It’s just scary, it really is.”

Detectives say they need to explain how the child got those injuries in the house, who was there at the time — and was it an accident or abuse?

Neighbor Larry Shelton says there have been problems at that home many times, drawing police.

“We’re just trying to find out for our kids’ sake, because this is strictly a family neighborhood, and we want to keep it that way,” Shelton said.

Neighbors got very worried when they saw a single golf club come out of the house with an evidence tag on it.

Fortunately, police told us the golf club turned out to not be related to the case.

But neighbors are still no closer to finding out what really happened on their quiet street.

Police are interviewing everyone who lives in the house with the boy, to try and determine how he was hurt.

But so far, they wouldn’t say what kind of injuries he’s battling, only that there have been no arrests in connection with their investigation.