Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Dad charged with negligent homicide in child's death; 11-month-old toddler struck with bowl (West Monroe, Louisiana)

Dad JAMES EDWARD "JUICY" CLAMPIT (no, I didn't make that name up) has been charged with negligent homicide in the death of his 11-month-old son. Seems Daddy got upset and threw a ceramic bowl at the child's head.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20100928/UPDATES01/100928009

Father charged with negligent homicide in child's death; toddler struck with bowl
Staff report • news@thenewsstar.com • September 28, 2010

James Edward “Juicy” Clampit, 38, 861 Rogers Road, West Monroe, was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center on Monday charged in a warrant with negligent homicide in connection with his 11-month-old son’s death.

Bond is $7,500.

According to court documents, on Sept. 16 the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified of the death of an 11-month-old boy. The child’s death was attributed to a head injury.

Crystal Clampit, the boy’s mother and James Clampit’s wife, reportedly told deputies the child had been struck by a bowl.

Deputies went to the Clampit’s home and to Glenwood Regional Medical Center, where the child was taken.

Once at the hospital, deputies attempted to speak to James and Crystal Clampit, who declined to talk to them without an attorney present.

James Clampit, with his lawyer present, later told deputies that he and Crystal Clampit got into a verbal argument over the child hurting himself while playing.

He said she brought the child over to him to see the injury, which was a bitten tongue.

According to court documents, Crystal Clampit then carried the child back into the kitchen area.

James Clampit then stood up from the recliner he was seated in and threw the bowl from which he had been eating soup toward the kitchen area.

He told deputies he saw pieces of the bowl shatter and heard Crystal Clampit say, “Oh my God, he’s bleeding.”

According to court documents, James Clampit’s testimony notes that he knew his wife was holding the child as she walked into the kitchen area, that he was angry and threw the ceramic bowl toward them. The bowl struck the child’s head.

James Clampit said he and his wife immediately rushed toward the hospital but met American Medical Response at the Circle K on Thomas Road in West Monroe. The child died before reaching the hospital, court records state.