This is what happens when you simultaneously destroy the social safety net AND set up "father freindly" policies where fathers have no responsibilities for their children, just "rights."
It appears that this baby's mother was homeless. That this woman was homeless with a young infant would not happen in any decent society that provided shelter and assistance to our brothers and sisters in need. But she copes as best she can, by handing the baby over to the father so the baby isn't living on the streets. A father who, mind you, apparently couldn't be bothered to offer the mother shelter or any financial assistance to care for the baby.
Then of course, the predictable happens. Like so many boyfriends/sperm donors, he is incapable of caring for an infant and nearly bashes her to death. For all of mom's problems, notice that is was SHE who noticed that the baby was not acting right and took her to the hospital. Happens a lot with these POS dads. That it is the mother who tries to rescue the infant, even though they typically have fewer resources.
Dad is identified as LATAJHIA MILLENDER.
Can't help wondering whether Daddy had a history of domestic violence against the mother as well....
http://www.bnd.com/2013/08/02/2725408/abused-girl-is-stable-while-police.html
East St. Louis father charged in abuse of daughter
Published: August 2, 2013
By CAROLYN P. SMITH — News-Democrat
EAST ST. LOUIS — The father of an infant girl who sustained more than 20 fractures and other injuries was charged Friday with aggravated battery to a child, St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly said.
Latajhia Millender, 24, of East St. Louis, was charged after he was questioned by investigators.
The 5-month-old girl was in stable condition Friday at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis.
Police Chief Michael Floore said during a news conference Thursday afternoon that doctors told the investigating officer, Sgt. Gilda Johnson, that the baby sustained injuries to her skull, left eye and brain. He said the infant had old and new injuries.
On Wednesday night, police investigators were called by hospital officials at Cardinal Glennon after doctors determined the baby had suffered physical abuse by someone.
Floore didn't say how the injuries occurred. He said he could not talk about details because the police were still investigating the matter. But, he said it was clear that the child had been "severely abused."
The child's mother, who police believe is homeless, went to the residence where the father was keeping the child in the John DeShields public housing complex at 1235 McCasland Ave. and noticed she was not acting right. She took the girl to the hospital.
The county's child-death investigation team had been activated in case the baby doesn't survive, Floore said.
Showing posts with label head injry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label head injry. Show all posts
Monday, August 5, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Dad pleads guilty to abusing 4-month-old son; was on probation for abusing baby's older brother and was on "supervised" visitation (Faribault, Minnesota)
Why "supervised" visitation is a stupid idea....Can't tell you how many kids are injured, killed, or kidnapped while presumably under the "supervision" of social services.
Dad is identified as JACE MICHAEL WOJTOWICZ.
http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/news/article_d5992480-9b93-5802-8b26-acfa720ea00c.html
Faribault father pleads guilty in child abuse case
Story Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 5:00 pm | Updated: 11:40 pm, Tue Apr 16, 2013.
By REBECCA RODENBORG
A man already on probation for maliciously punishing his 5-month-old boy has pleaded guilty to a more serious charge involving that boy’s new baby brother.
Jace Michael Wojtowicz stood before Judge Christine Long on Tuesday afternoon and admitted to squeezing his 4-week-old son while he was trying to get him to stop crying in the middle of the night. He had previously admitted that he had gotten frustrated when waking up in the middle of the night to a crying infant.
On Tuesday, Wojtowicz pleaded guilty to malicious punishment of a child, a felony charge that includes great bodily harm. A gross misdemeanor count of malicious punishment of a child that includes causing substantial bodily harm was dismissed as part of a plea deal with the Rice County Attorney’s Office.
The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. As part of the plea deal, Assistant Rice County Attorney Tori Stewart and defense attorney Josh Johnson made a joint recommendation that Long depart from the sentencing guidelines and order a stay of execution.
A 365-day jail sentence with work release and up to 10 years of supervised probation were also mentioned as part of the recommendation, though no decisions will be made until after a presentence investigation is completed.
Wojtowicz, 29, was arrested Feb. 13, after Faribault Police were contacted by a doctor at the Midwest Children’s Resource Center in St. Paul to report a case of child abuse, according to a criminal complaint.
The doctor told police that a 4-week-old child was brought in by Wojtowicz and his wife for an unrelated medical issue earlier that week. The doctor did an MRI scan on the baby and found blood pooling behind the brain as well as numerous fractures in the baby’s rib cage, according to the complaint.
Rice County Social Services filed a CHIPS (child in need of protection or services) petition for both children after Wojtowicz was arrested. He was soon released on bail with conditions that he have no contact with either of his children. But Rice County social workers recommended during a CHIPS hearing in early March that Wojtowicz be allowed supervised contact with his children, according to court documents. Rice County Social Services Director Mark Shaw said Wojtowicz has seen his children about twice a week since. All visits are arranged by social services, which has supervisory custody of the children. Shaw confirmed that the children’s mother has physical custody.
The department has also recommended Wojtowicz participate in individual therapy, a psych evaluation and parenting education, Shaw said. Wojtowicz’s attorney Josh Johnson said in court on Tuesday that his client had already participated in parenting and mental health assessments and was also seeing a psychiatrist for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, anxiety and stress issues.
“My client has been quite proactive in his efforts since this incident,” Johnson told Long. “He’s working very closely with social services ... I believe it’s going in the right direction.”
Even as the criminal case is nearing resolution — sentencing is set for June 6 — the CHIPS case is ongoing, Shaw said. The case will be reviewed again in May, and then every 90 days after.
“Child safety is the whole reason for our involvement in these matters,” Shaw said. “Our main purpose is to make sure children are protected and safe, and if parents need support in doing that, we help them come up with a plan.”
A probation violation hearing was also held Tuesday regarding an earlier case involving Wojtowicz.
In May 2011, authorities were alerted by a Rice County Social Services worker who was contacted by a daycare provider who found bruises on Wojtowicz’s then-4-month-old son while changing a diaper, according to court documents.
A felony charge of malicious punishment of a child was dismissed as part of a plea agreement in November 2011, according to court records. Wojtowicz was sentenced to two years of supervised probation on Jan. 4, 2012, for malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor. A 365-day jail sentence was stayed by Judge John Cajacob.
Wojtowicz admitted to violating terms of his probation on Tuesday. He will also be sentenced in this case on June 6.
Dad is identified as JACE MICHAEL WOJTOWICZ.
http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/news/article_d5992480-9b93-5802-8b26-acfa720ea00c.html
Faribault father pleads guilty in child abuse case
Story Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 5:00 pm | Updated: 11:40 pm, Tue Apr 16, 2013.
By REBECCA RODENBORG
A man already on probation for maliciously punishing his 5-month-old boy has pleaded guilty to a more serious charge involving that boy’s new baby brother.
Jace Michael Wojtowicz stood before Judge Christine Long on Tuesday afternoon and admitted to squeezing his 4-week-old son while he was trying to get him to stop crying in the middle of the night. He had previously admitted that he had gotten frustrated when waking up in the middle of the night to a crying infant.
On Tuesday, Wojtowicz pleaded guilty to malicious punishment of a child, a felony charge that includes great bodily harm. A gross misdemeanor count of malicious punishment of a child that includes causing substantial bodily harm was dismissed as part of a plea deal with the Rice County Attorney’s Office.
The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. As part of the plea deal, Assistant Rice County Attorney Tori Stewart and defense attorney Josh Johnson made a joint recommendation that Long depart from the sentencing guidelines and order a stay of execution.
A 365-day jail sentence with work release and up to 10 years of supervised probation were also mentioned as part of the recommendation, though no decisions will be made until after a presentence investigation is completed.
Wojtowicz, 29, was arrested Feb. 13, after Faribault Police were contacted by a doctor at the Midwest Children’s Resource Center in St. Paul to report a case of child abuse, according to a criminal complaint.
The doctor told police that a 4-week-old child was brought in by Wojtowicz and his wife for an unrelated medical issue earlier that week. The doctor did an MRI scan on the baby and found blood pooling behind the brain as well as numerous fractures in the baby’s rib cage, according to the complaint.
Rice County Social Services filed a CHIPS (child in need of protection or services) petition for both children after Wojtowicz was arrested. He was soon released on bail with conditions that he have no contact with either of his children. But Rice County social workers recommended during a CHIPS hearing in early March that Wojtowicz be allowed supervised contact with his children, according to court documents. Rice County Social Services Director Mark Shaw said Wojtowicz has seen his children about twice a week since. All visits are arranged by social services, which has supervisory custody of the children. Shaw confirmed that the children’s mother has physical custody.
The department has also recommended Wojtowicz participate in individual therapy, a psych evaluation and parenting education, Shaw said. Wojtowicz’s attorney Josh Johnson said in court on Tuesday that his client had already participated in parenting and mental health assessments and was also seeing a psychiatrist for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, anxiety and stress issues.
“My client has been quite proactive in his efforts since this incident,” Johnson told Long. “He’s working very closely with social services ... I believe it’s going in the right direction.”
Even as the criminal case is nearing resolution — sentencing is set for June 6 — the CHIPS case is ongoing, Shaw said. The case will be reviewed again in May, and then every 90 days after.
“Child safety is the whole reason for our involvement in these matters,” Shaw said. “Our main purpose is to make sure children are protected and safe, and if parents need support in doing that, we help them come up with a plan.”
A probation violation hearing was also held Tuesday regarding an earlier case involving Wojtowicz.
In May 2011, authorities were alerted by a Rice County Social Services worker who was contacted by a daycare provider who found bruises on Wojtowicz’s then-4-month-old son while changing a diaper, according to court documents.
A felony charge of malicious punishment of a child was dismissed as part of a plea agreement in November 2011, according to court records. Wojtowicz was sentenced to two years of supervised probation on Jan. 4, 2012, for malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor. A 365-day jail sentence was stayed by Judge John Cajacob.
Wojtowicz admitted to violating terms of his probation on Tuesday. He will also be sentenced in this case on June 6.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)