Dad pleads guilty to abusing 1-month-old daughter (Elizabethton, Tennessee)

Dad JACOB DAVID VINES was alone with the baby while Mom was with another child elsewhere in the house. Guess he got "frustrated" or something....

http://www.starhq.com/2012/01/13/city-man-pleads-guilty-in-criminal-court-in-shaken-baby-case/

City man pleads guilty in Criminal Court in shaken baby case

By Robert Sorrell

An Elizabethton man accused of injuring a child in a shaken baby syndrome case has entered into a plea agreement.

Jacob David Vines was in Carter County Criminal Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated child abuse, which was downgraded from aggravated child abuse. Vines, who remains incarcerated in the Carter County Jail, will be sentenced on Feb. 10.

The plea came unexpectedly Wednesday. Vines was scheduled to appear in court for a motion hearing. He had wished to be declared as indigent, in order for the court to appoint an attorney. Vines said in the motion that he has been unable to financially support his case in court.

In April of 2011, nearly two months after being indicted by the grand jury, Vines said in the motion that he hired Donna Bolton as an attorney. The attorney then filed a motion to reduce bond, as it had been set at $200,000. The judge approved the motion and reduced bond to $100,000, although Vines said in the motion “it is still such a large amount of money.”

A motion for discovery was then filed, which resulted in Vines and his attorney receiving a large amount of medical records. The attorney then attempted to negotiate with the District Attorney, but all attempts failed. A trial had been set for Feb. 6 and 8. Vines, who became unemployed after his arrest, then filed a motion to be declared indigent on Jan. 3.

Instead of the motion hearing Wednesday, Vines pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

Investigator Chris Bowers said that on Nov. 4, 2010, the Elizabethton Police Department and the Department of Children’s Services began an investigation into allegations of child abuse occurring at 916-A Pine Ridge Circle. Bowers reported that a one-month-old female infant had been transported to the Johnson City Medical Center in regards to a life-threatening event.

The initial examination of the infant, Bowers said, revealed her to have injuries that are classified as non-accidental trauma. Later examinations of the infant revealed injuries that are consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Bowers said the investigation revealed that the father, Vines, was alone with the infant downstairs immediately prior to the life-threatening event. The mother was upstairs with another child.

The investigator then presented the case to the grand jury, which returned a true bill charging him with aggravated child abuse