Plea deal sought for man accused of helping wife avoid arrest on child torture charges

BRAINERD — Additional time was granted for defense and prosecuting attorneys to negotiate a possible plea deal for a Crosslake man accused of helping his wife evade arrest for child torture charges.

Christopher Martin Badowicz, 37, appeared via Zoom Thursday, March 2, in Crow Wing County District Court alongside his attorney Rich Kenly. Badowicz faces a felony charge of aiding an offender to avoid arrest after he allegedly lied to law enforcement about wife Jorden Nicole Borders’ whereabouts when they sought to arrest her on the torture charges.

Contributed / Crow Wing County Jail

Kenly asked Judge Patricia Aanes for another 30 days as he and Assistant Crow Wing County Attorney Janine LePage were working on a plea agreement in the matter.

LePage agreed with the request, saying she needed time to talk with the children before any plea offer would be made.

LePage said the children were requesting to see Badowicz. She also said the children had communicated to the court that they were treated better and fed when Badowicz was home.

Aanes granted the request for another 30 days.

Badowicz is due back in Crow Wing County District Court on April 6.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Badowicz, on the evening of Nov. 23, 2022, law enforcement officers attempted to locate Borders, who shares a residence with Badowicz in Crosslake. After dark, an officer made his way through the woods behind the residence and allegedly observed Borders and Badowicz sitting together in the living room.

With Borders identified, officers responded to the home. The responding officers noted security cameras pointed down the driveway as they were walking up to the house.

The officer behind the house reported he saw both people stand inside and witnessed Borders run into a bedroom as Badowicz exited the home and met officers in the driveway.

After detaining Badowicz outside the house, officers told him they had a warrant for Borders’ arrest, the complaint stated. Badowicz told officers Borders was not there. He also told officers the police were at the house multiple times already, which confirmed he was aware law enforcement officers were seeking Borders.

The officer behind the house approached the window of the room Borders ran to and told her she was seen and to come out. Borders came to the front door, where she was met by Crow Wing County deputies and taken into custody.

Borders was charged November 2022 with three serious felony counts of child torture and three felony counts of stalking following a child maltreatment investigation beginning in May by the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed Borders allegedly tortured her three young children through actions like withdrawing blood, forcing them to wear casts and neck braces despite not having injuries and inflicting frequent physical abuse as punishment.

Borders and Badowicz, who is the father of the youngest two children, agreed to terminate their parental rights in a December 2022 court hearing.

Borders’ next court appearance is scheduled April 18 in Crow Wing County District Court.

TIM SPEIER, staff writer, can be reached on Twitter @timmy2thyme , call 218-855-5859 or email tim.speier@brainerddispatch.com .