Dad sentenced for burning face of 9-week-old son on stove (Warren, Ohio)

Dad is SHAWN ROBERTS, SR. He admits he burned the baby on purpose. There were also signs of previous abuse (bruises). No mention of the baby's mom, though the baby was practically a newborn at the time. What happened to Mom? Was she working?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT

http://www.wytv.com/mostpopular/story/Man-Sentenced-for-Burning-Babys-Face-on-Stove/EC7inv3OCkqoUC5dYOie0w.cspx
Man Sentenced for Burning Baby's Face on Stove

Published: 1/18 4:57 pm Share Updated: 1/18 7:25 pm

A father who admitted to purposely burning his 9-week-old son's face apologized Wednesday before being sentenced to six years in prison.

Shawn Roberts Sr., 25, of Warren, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangering children.

"I am sorry for what I have done," said Roberts. "I know now that it was wrong of me. I was not in the right state of mind. I am truly sorry."

Assistant Trumbull County Prosecutor Diane Barber told Judge Wyatt McKay that Roberts' son was taken to the hospital with marks and burns on his face in June.

Hospital officials also said the baby had bruises on other parts of his body.

"The defendant did to his 9-week-old son, whose date of birth was April 22, 2011, hold the child's face over a lit burner on the cooking stove in the kitchen of that residence, and the child sustained second-degree burns to his face," said Barber.

Barber said detectives checked the burner and found that within a short period of time the temperature reached more than 700 degrees.

Roberts first told police his son was injured because he sat out in the sun too long. He later told reporters it was an accident, but prosecutors said he then confessed to polygraph expert Bill Evans and said he did it on purpose.

Warren Detective Michael Currington, who investigated the case, said it was one of the worst child endangering cases he has handled during his career.

He and Barber, however, said the baby is expected to recover.

"If there is anything good that will come out of this, this child will probably not remember any of this," said Currington.