Dad pleads guilty in infant son's death; baby was only 26-days old (Scott County, Iowa)

Dad XZAVIER POSEY has pleaded guilty to "child endangerment causing death" in the death of his infant son. The baby was only 26-days old when he died from blunt force trauma (severe brain damage) due to shaken baby syndrome. Appears that Daddy had some "anger problems" based on the punched walls and damaged doors in the apartment. In all, just the kind of teen male who needs to be out doing heavy construction work or something, and not hanging around babies. Teen dads are at very high risk for perpetrating shaken baby syndrome and other forms of physically violent child abuse.

http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_2300a06a-e08e-11de-8268-001cc4c03286.html

Teen dad pleads guilty in infant son’s death
Ann McGlynn Posted: Thursday, December 3, 2009 10:30 pm

A 17-year-old father accused of killing his infant son has pleaded guilty to the crime.

Xzavier Posey pleaded guilty to child endangerment causing death in Scott County District Court on Thursday. He faces up to 50 years behind bars.

Xzavier Posey Jr. died Nov. 15, 2008. His father faced spending the rest of his life behind bars if found guilty as charged, with first-degree murder. His trial was set to start next week.

“We felt that this was a valid compromise to get 50 years and a plea of guilty,” said Mike Walton, Scott County Attorney. Julie Walton was the lead prosecutor on the case. “There was a chance that he could have been found not guilty and done zero time.”

A representative of the state’s public defender office could not be reached for comment.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 29.

According to police, baby Xzavier was taken to the hospital after his father called 911 from his house on the morning of Aug. 31, 2008. Posey reported his son was not breathing, police said. The child was then transferred to University Hospitals in Iowa City for treatment of his injuries.

He died shortly after he returned to his mother’s home from the hospital, as the result of the “original injuries,” police said.

An autopsy on the baby confirmed he died from the blunt force trauma injury he suffered on Aug. 31, when he was 26 days old.

Documents filed with an application for a search warrant indicate that the baby had rib fractures, brain bleeding and severe brain damage and that officials determined the trauma was “the result of shaken baby syndrome.” Police also took photos of damage done to the apartment because of Posey’s “anger problems.” The photos included punched walls and a door damaged by slamming.

At his funeral, the pastor talked about how baby Xzavier’s life would serve to spread awareness about the devastating consequences of shaken baby syndrome.

Xzavier Jr.’s mother is Shaunticia Liddell, 17, of Davenport.