Man granted guardianship over 18-year-old despite victim’s sexual abuse accusations: Court docs

The man and his partner are now accused of keeping their five adopted children in horrific conditions.

By Brenda Ordonez

CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - An adoptive father in a Clermont County child endangerment case was granted guardianship of an 18-year-old after the man admitted he had been accused of sexual abuse by the 18-year-old, according to court documents.

Charles Edmonson, 63, was the focus of a 2022 sexual assault investigation by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit, court records show.

That investigation was two years before Prosecutor Mark Tekulve announced the indictment of Charles Edmonson and Matthew Edmonson for five counts of child endangering.

During the 2022 investigation, Charles Edmonson was seeking guardianship of an 18-year-old, who was deemed incompetent to care for himself, court documents explain.

As a result of the guardianship application, in December 2022, a court investigator visited the then-18-year-old while Charles Edmonson was present.

The investigator documented Charles Edmonson telling them that the victim had accused him of sexual abuse, according to court records.

A Clermont County judge granted Charles Edmonson guardianship of the victim just a few weeks later.

A 2022 dated letter from Charles Edmonson mentioned in the court record indicated there were four special needs children in his home.

Charles Edmonson was indicted and lost guardianship of the victim in October 2023. He was later convicted in March 2024.

FOX19 NOW called Clermont County Child Protective Services multiple times to ask how Charles Edmonson got guardianship of this victim during the 2022 investigation and how the five other adopted children were able to remain in his custody during this time. The Clermont County Child Protective Services has not responded.

Charles Edmonson is expected to be transported back to Clermont County Common Pleas Court for his arraignment on the new child endangerment charges.

As for his partner, 49-year-old Matthew Edmonson, she appeared in court on Wednesday.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was given a $500,000 bond.

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Man granted guardianship over 18-year-old despite victim’s sexual abuse accusations: Court docs