Dad goes on trial for shaking death of 4-month-old son (Green Bay, Wisconsin)

Dad JEREMIAH FELTON was babysittting while Mom was at work. "Somehow" during the time that Mom was away, the 4-month-old baby acquired two severe skull fractures and severe injuries to his brain and eyes. The baby was later declared brain dead after subsisting in a coma for several days.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091019/GPG0101/910190503/1207/GPG01/Green-Bay-man-goes-on-trial-in-infant-son-s-death

Jeremiah Felton goes on trial today in death of infant son
Felton accused of killing 4-month-old by shaking him
By Andy Nelesen • anelesen@greenbaypressgazette.com • October 19, 2009

A Brown County jury is expected to hear evidence today about how 4-month-old Jeremiah Felton Jr. died in June 2008.

Brown County prosecutors allege that the infant's father, Jeremiah Felton, shook the boy to death. Pathologists found skull fractures, bleeding around the boy's brain and broken blood vessels in both eyes, which are consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Felton, 21, of Green Bay, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide for his son's death. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

According to the criminal complaint:

The infant's mother, Sasha Fulton, left for work in the morning on June 2, 2008, leaving her son home alone with Felton and her cousin, Bryiana Fulton, who was caring for her own son.

Bryiana Fulton told investigators the boy seemed fine when she checked on him several times, but she also said she left the home a number of times during the day.

Sasha Fulton returned home after work and found her son was having trouble breathing and wouldn't open his eyes.

The infant was in a coma for several days and was declared brain dead June 5, 2008. Doctors who treated the boy diagnosed him with a severe closed head injury from non-accidental head trauma.

An autopsy revealed the head injury caused the boy's death. He had two fractures on the right side of his skull and severe injuries to his brain and eyes.

Doctors said the injuries were likely caused before 5 p.m. June 2 based on the condition of the boy's brain when he was admitted to the hospital.

Felton told police that the boy slipped forward in the tub, which caused him to hit his head. Felton said the boy's face did not go under the water, but he noted that the boy started crying.

Felton said he took his son out of the tub, got him dressed and gave him a bottle before putting him to sleep. Felton said he didn't tell investigators about the bathtub incident during an initial interview because the detective made him nervous.

Prosecutors initially charged the case as a reckless homicide in June 2008, but filed the first-degree intentional homicide charge about a month later.

Brown County Circuit Court Judge Kendall Kelley has set the case for a five-day trial.