Father, brother of slain 5-year-old charged with sexual assault
The father and brother of a 5-year-old boy killed in a suspected child abuse case have been charged with sexual assault.
Anthony Turnbill, 35, of Madison, is charged with repeated sexual assault of a child. His son, Tyler Turnbill, 17, of Madison, is charged with two counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child and second-degree sexual assault of a child.
They were in Dane County Court for an initial appearance Monday morning and were released on a signature bond. Turnbill tried to ask a judge to keep the case out of the media.
“My son has just passed away and we’re still going through all of this and these accusations are being brought up,” Anthony Turnbill told a Judge Monday. “It’s just ridiculous and I can’t believe what’s going on here.”
Court Commissioner Todd Meuer told Turnbill he couldn’t prevent the media from attending court appearances as they are open to the public.
Anthony Turnbill spoke to WISC-TV Friday, sharing his grief in the loss of his son, 5-year-old Brayden Turnbill, and said he hoped for justice in the case. Following his own court appearance Monday, Turnbill said his other three children have been sent to foster homes and denies the charges.
“I don’t know anymore what’s happening, why it’s happening or what I did to deserve this,” said Turnbill. “My kids are being blasted all over the media, my family is in turmoil and it’s sick what’s being said.”
A criminal complaint states a girl told authorities about the alleged assaults on Oct. 7. She said the assaults occurred numerous times over several years.
A relative of Turnbill’s estranged wife said both Brayden’s death and these accusations have been trying for the family, and they want justice.
“Now looking back on things, there are things we could have maybe questioned, but you don’t expect something like this to happen,” said Debi Eveland.
In an unrelated case, the Dane County medical examiner ruled on Friday that 5-year-old Brayden Turnbill’s death was a homicide. Sun Prairie Police announced late Monday that the suspect in the case, 23-year-old Dakota Black, was in the Dane County jail on a probation hold but would likely face charges in Turnbill’s death.
Authorities were called to a home on Barrington Circle Tuesday afternoon and had opened a child abuse investigation.
Anthony Turnbill said he hadn’t seen Brayden in a couple of years. The boy’s mother had custody of him and Brayden had been living with her and her boyfriend.
