Custodial dad convicted of voluntary manslaughter in death of 2-month-old son (Chesterfield County, Virginia)

Interesting what the media chooses to highlight. They tell you that dad BRANDON L. PARKER was young--still a teenager--but they don't make it clear that he was custodial or what idiot(s) would choose to grant him custody.

But Parker was custodial. Notice that the BABY LIVED WITH DAD and Dad's parents, and that Mom--who apparently was forced to work to support herself--did NOT live there, but was only a "visitor." Why doesn't the reporter just come out and say that Parker was a custodial dad? Politically incorrect? Does that mean we might call undue attention to some idiotic social workers or other court-appointed people who were involved in this fiasco? Who the hell thought it was a good idea to give a 17-year-old dude custody? As a demographic group, this age/sex is the MOST likely to be involved in violent activity, including child abuse.

And that's exactly what happened...

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/feb/29/tdmet03-teenage-chesterfield-father-convicted-of-f-ar-1727937/

Teenage Chesterfield father convicted of fatally shaking infant son
By: Mark Bowes | Richmond Times Dispatch
Published: February 29, 2012 Updated: February 29, 2012 - 12:00 AM

An 18-year-old Chesterfield County father has been convicted of fatally shaking his infant son after telling police that he found the child limp and unresponsive in his baby swing.

Brandon L. Parker, who was 17 at the time and weeks away from entering the U.S. Air Force, entered an Alford guilty plea in Chesterfield Circuit Court to voluntary manslaughter — reduced from second-degree murder — in the June 2010 death of his 2-month-old son, Elijah.

Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence for a judge or jury to find him guilty.

Parker is the second Chesterfield parent to be convicted of killing a child this year. Earlier this month, Robin Imani Varner, 25, pleaded guilty to inadvertently smothering her 5-month-old daughter by placing pillows and a blanket over the baby's head to muffle her incessant crying.

According to a summary of evidence by Chesterfield prosecutor B.J. McGee, Parker and his son were living at his parents' home in the 4000 block of Clipper Bay Drive. He was caring for the child on the evening of June 22 after the 20-year-old mother — who was visiting but didn't live in the home — left for work.

After Parker told his stepmother that Elijah was restless and unable to fall asleep, he fed the infant, placed him in his child swing in the teen's bedroom about 10:30 p.m. and began watching television. About an hour later, Parker told officers that Elijah had fallen forward in his child swing and was limp and unresponsive.

Parker said he then placed the baby on his stomach and "shook him a little bit."

Police were called about 11:45 p.m. and when officers arrived they found the infant lying motionless at the top of the stairs. The child had no injuries, but a white fluid was coming from the baby's nose.

"They tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate Elijah, but there was no pulse," McGee said.

The infant was flaccid and unresponsive when he was transferred to VCU Medical Center from Southside Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Robin Foster, director of Pediatric Emergency Services and Pediatric Critical Care Transport at VCU Medical Center, examined the child and concluded that Elijah suffered a traumatic head injury consistent with being shaken.

The shaking was severe enough to cause diffuse bleeding about the child's brain, brain tissue damage and retinal hemorrhaging of his eyes, Foster testified at an earlier hearing.

Elijah died four days later at the hospital of blunt-force trauma of the head.

After entering his pleas, Parker — who had been monitored electronically under home incarceration — was remanded to jail pending sentencing on May 17. He faces up to 10 years in prison.