Dad found guilty of assaulting 23-month-old son during visitation (Cookville, Tennessee)

Dad MATTHEW KINNARD has been found guilty of reckless aggravated assault on his 23-month-old son. Important thing to note: This assault obviously took place during a visitation, though this isn't spelled out specifically or whether this was a court-ordered situation. Kinnard does not live with the boy's mother, and he was doing "caretaking" for her--probably while she was working.

http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/9361208/article-Abusing-father-found-guilty-for-assault-on-infant-son?instance=latest_articles

Abusing father found guilty for assault on infant son
by Mary Jo Denton
18 hrs ago

COOKEVILLE -- A jury deliberated less than an hour yesterday before finding a Cookeville man guilty of reckless aggravated assault on his 23-month old son last year.

Matthew Kinnard, 24, of North Dixie Avenue, was indicted on the charge of aggravated child abuse last December following an investigation by Cookeville Police Detective Sgt. Yvette Demming.

Kinnard's young son suffered a broken leg on Nov. 8, 2009, while Kinnard was caring for him. The child's mother, who did not live with the father, later took the child to the hospital and a criminal investigation into the case began.

Detective Sgt. Demming testified in the trial that during the initial investigation, Kinnard gave more than one explanation of how the child came to have a broken leg. She said that Kinnard phoned the mother that day and told her to come get the boy and take him to the hospital.

Doctors here sent the child to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville to be treated by a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and the child has since recovered from his injury, Demming said.

And while the jury found Kinnard guilty of a lesser offense than the one with which he was originally charged, they also imposed a $5,000 fine.

Reckless aggravated assault is a Class D felony and is punishable by two to four years in prison. Kinnard's sentence will be set at an Oct. 29 hearing.

Assistant District Attorneys Beth Willis and Phillip Hatch prosecuted the case, and attorney Phil Parsons represented Kinnard.

Read more: Herald Citizen - Abusing father found guilty for assault on infant son