Babysitting boyfriend beats 17-month-old boy (Youngstown, Ohio)

UNNAMED BOYFRIEND apparently beat a 17-month-old boy while babysitting.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/jul/19/boy-hurt-in-alleged-beating-improves/?newswatch

Boy hurt in alleged beating improves
Published: Sun, July 19, 2009 @ 12:05 a.m.


YOUNGSTOWN — A 17-month-old Youngstown boy was in satisfactory condition Saturday at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron after family members said he was beaten.

Dizarion Weaver, of East Lucius Avenue, initially was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center on Friday afternoon and then by helicopter to Akron.

The boy’s grandmother, Shirley Weaver, said Dizarion had regained consciousness but was sedated.

The boy’s mother left him and her two other sons, age 6 and 2, in the care of her boyfriend around 9:45 a.m. Friday when she took a relative to a court hearing, a police report says.

Three other children, age 13, 8 and 10, also were at the home. The report doesn’t indicate their relation to the family.

Weaver, who lives across the street, went to the home to get her grandchildren and told police it took the boyfriend a long time to answer the door.

When he finally came to the door, she went to find the toddler, and the boyfriend threw a towel over him to conceal him, the report states.

When she removed the towel, she saw bruises on the toddler’s head, face, rear and sides, Weaver said.

She picked up the child and left the house with her daughter’s boyfriend following, telling her the boy didn’t need to go to the hospital, Weaver said Saturday.

“My grandbaby was gasping for air,” she said. “He was starting to turn blue.”

They called 911.

Weaver, whose 12-year-old son died of asthma, wasn’t going to lose another child, she said.

The grandmother worries about what would have happened if she hadn’t gone to her daughter’s house to get her grandchildren.

“If I wouldn’t have gone over, he’d be gone,” she said.

The police report said that the boyfriend told Weaver that the 2-year-old boy had beaten his younger brother with a hanger. The report said the boyfriend fled through the back of the house when police arrived.

The mother, April Weaver, returned from court about 11:15 a.m. to find her father outside her home, holding the child, who was turning blue, according to a police report.

Police found the bathtub full of water, water on the floor and a wet spot on the bed in one of the bedrooms. Cornstarch was on the bed and walls, the report said.

Police could provide no additional information Saturday.