Same day, same state. A SECOND custodial father from Virginia accused of killing his infant son, who in this case was only 2 months old. And once again, the death is from shaken baby syndrome (also known as non-accidental or abusive head trauma). Reporter Mark Bowes at least acknowledges that there was a woman who gave birth to this child, the baby's mother. He notes that she didn't live with the baby, the father, or his parents. And he does admit that he doesn't know the mother's "level of involvement." So can we find out? And can we find out who thought it was a good idea to give custody of an infant to a teenage father?
The courts have got to start thinking about what happens when fathers get custody of infants. As much as we'd like to be politically correct about these things, there are not a lot of men, especially adolescent males, who are capable of doing infant care. Check out the research studies. Shaken baby syndrome is overwhelmingly committed by fathers, followed by boyfriends and stepdads. And a disproportionately high number of these fathers are young.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/jun/30/baby30-ar-260018/
Chesterfield teen charged in death of infant son
By MARK BOWES TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: June 30, 2010
Chesterfield, Va. --
A 17-year-old Chesterfield County father has been charged with fatally injuring his 2-month-old son by shaking the infant last week while the two were alone.
Brandon L. Parker, who lived with his son, Elijah Parker, at Brandon's parents' home in the 4000 block of Clipper Bay Drive, was charged Monday with second-degree murder -- six days after authorities say the child suffered injuries consistent with shaken-baby syndrome.
Elijah died Saturday at VCU Medical Center, authorities said.
Brandon Parker made an appearance yesterday in Chesterfield Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court via closed-circuit television from the county's juvenile-detention center, where he is being held.
Substitute Judge Robert D. Laney denied the teenager's bid to be released to the custody of his parents pending his Aug. 5 preliminary hearing, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney B.J. McGee said.
A reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch was not permitted to attend the hearing and was denied an opportunity to address the court. The judge closed the hearing on a motion from defense lawyer Kevin Purnell, Parker's court-appointed attorney.
Generally, Virginia law permits public access to juvenile proceedings involving criminal defendants age 14 or older who are charged with felony-level crimes.
Police yesterday said they received a call June 22 at 11:45 p.m. about an infant not breathing at the Parker home.
Paramedics took the child to a local hospital, and he was transferred later to VCU Medical Center, where he died Saturday. Doctors told police the child died of injuries suffered as a result of shaken-baby syndrome.
The infant's cause of death has not yet been released.
After yesterday's hearing, McGee said Chesterfield police Detective Jody Burton testified that Brandon initially told investigators he had picked up the child and that the infant went limp.
Burton also testified that Brandon was alone with his son during the time that authorities believe the baby was injured fatally, the prosecutor said.
Later during the course of the investigation, Brandon acknowledged to investigators he had shaken the baby "a little bit," Burton testified, according to McGee.
McGee said the child, born April 6, lived with Brandon and the teenager's parents. The infant's mother does not live with the family, and it was not known yesterday what level of involvement she had with her child.