Dad pleads not guilty to shaking 2-month-old son; also to illegally selling, delivering morphine (St. Joseph, Missouri)

Dad AARON M. ROSS has pleaded not guilty to shaking his 2-month-old son, though the baby has internal head trauma, breathing difficulties, and is hospitalized on a ventilator. At the time of the "incident," Daddy was out on bond for the illegal selling and delivery of a controlled substance (morphine). But Daddy has pleaded not guilty to that charge too. Yup, not guilty all around.

My advise of the day to all you mamas out there: Just because Dad is out on bond (and apparently has some free time on his hands) doesn't mean he's a good caretaker or babysitter. I know good, affordable, and reliable childcare is hard to find. But try. Please. The health and safety of your children depends on you.

Note that Ross has lots of "bad dad" company--and that's just in little ol' St. Joe! Other notable bad dads mentioned in this article include:

1) Dad ZACHARY ELLIS, who has pleaded guilty to the abuse of his 7-month-old son (well, thanks for manning up to it, at any rate). Ellis has admitted squeezing his son till he heard a "pop." That was in August. The baby suffered spiral fractures in three limbs, three broken ribs, a bruised spleen, and tearing on the inside of the mouth.

2) Dad RONNY RATHMAN, who managed to get his poor wife to take the rap for the earlier child abuse incidences. And boy, as soon as Mom was parked in jail and dad had custody, he managed to murder the baby by bashing his skull. Dad is now looking at second-degree murder charges. For more information, see these posts:
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2009/11/dad-called-truthful-and-compliant-to.html
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2009/10/dad-charged-with-2nd-degree-murder-in.html

http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2009/dec/02/ross-pleads-not-guilty-child-abuse/?local

Ross pleads not guilty to child abuse
by R.J. Cooper
Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Aaron M. Ross pleaded not guilty to abuse of a child Tuesday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.

According to court documents, the 20-year-old St. Joseph man allegedly caused internal head trauma to his son by shaking the 2-month-old on Nov. 27. The child was airlifted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, where he was placed on a ventilator.

Mr. Ross appeared via video conference for his arraignment Tuesday. His private attorney, Chad Gaddie, appeared in person and entered the not-guilty plea on behalf of his client. Judge Ron Taylor scheduled the defendant’s preliminary hearing for Dec. 17.

In addition to the class C felony for abuse, Mr. Ross also faces a class B felony for delivery of a controlled substance. According to court documents, authorities caught the defendant selling morphine on Oct. 27. Mr. Gaddie represents Mr. Ross in that case as well. The defendant, after pleading not guilty to the drug charge, was out on bond when he allegedly abused his son.

The prosecution has filed a motion to revoke Mr. Ross’ bond in the drug case. His trial setting is Dec. 10 before Judge Dan Kellogg. The defendant’s bond remains at $100,000 in the abuse case.

The maximum punishment for a class C felony is seven years in prison. The range of punishment for a class B felony is five to 15 years in prison.

The alleged Ross incident is the third in a string of high-profile child-abuse cases in the county recently. Last month, Zachery Ellis pleaded guilty to abuse of a child. Mr. Ellis admitted squeezing his 7-week-old son in August until he heard a pop. The child had spiral fractures in three limbs, three broken ribs, a bruised spleen and tearing on the inside of his mouth when his parents took the infant to the hospital the next day.

Charges still are pending against Angela and Ronny Rathman. Prosecutors allege Ms. Rathman abused her newborn son in September, leaving bruises, finger marks and scratches on the child’s skin.

The 7-week-old boy, left in the custody of Mr. Rathman, died a month later. Mr. Rathman is charged with second-degree murder. According to the prosecution and the probable cause statement, the victim’s father allegedly struck the infant’s head multiple times and knocked the boy’s skull into a table.