Dad convicted in beating death of 3-week-old son (Denver, Colorado)

I know that we'd all like to think we'd be big and brave in the face of adversity, but in fact, many of us cannot live up to our own ideals. This article doesn't tell us whether the mother was also facing threats of violence if she "told." But it wouldn't surprise me if she did--given that Daddy has a history of threats and domestic violence. If you scroll through Dastardly Dads, you'll find that her 14 year sentence for failing to seek medical care in a manner considered prompt by outsiders is LONGER than many dads get for the actual vicious battering or murdering itself. Sure, there are times people should be held accountable for failing to prevent violence or failing to seek help for the victims in a timely fashion--assuming they had the ability and the means to act. But it appears to me that only mothers are condemned for this in a uniform fashion, without any accounting for their real life circumstances. I see lots of cases where the step "mom" murders or abuses the kids, and everybody buys the poor daddy's innocence or ignorance act. I think that's crap.

And of course, judges and assorts court whores give visitation rights and/or custody to abusers and even child killers all the time--and no one ever holds them responsible. Even when it can be proved that they willfully ignored prior evidence of threats or abuse.

At any rate, dad TRAVIS ANDERSON has now been found guilty in the beating death of his 3-week-old son. A newborn. Words fail....

Hat tip to A.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16695068

Denver dad guilty in death of 3-year-old
By The Denver Post
Posted: 11/23/2010 05:42:10 PM MSTUpdated: 11/24/2010 06:57:09 AM MST

A Denver jury Tuesday found 27-year-old Travis Anderson guilty of killing his 3-week-old son last year.

Anderson faces up to 48 years in prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 13.

Anderson was accused of "brutally" beating his son, Sean, on Dec. 15. When the boy arrived at The Children's Hospital in Aurora, he had two skull fractures, profuse bleeding of the brain, bruises on his scalp and burns on his face and foot, according to police.

Anderson was found guilty of child abuse resulting in death and manslaughter, both felonies. He was originally been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.

The child's mother, Crystal Eccleston, 28, failed to seek medical attention for the child.

Crystal Eccleston (Denver District Attorney's Office)Earlier this year she pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in death and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

The child survived four days after he was taken to a hospital, about a day after his injuries.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Anderson was arrested in March 2009 for telephone harassment and threatening to injure a person or property.

Eccleston, according to CBI records, was arrested in March 2008 for misdemeanor domestic violence and in November 2008 for vehicular eluding or attempting to elude, driving under the influence and no driver's license.