Notice that the mother and father do not live together, and that the mother dropped off the baby at the father's home on the day of his death. So obviously this case involves custody/visitation issues--whether they are court-ordered or merely "voluntary" we don't know. If the mother was getting child support, it is almost certain that visitation was mandated by the courts.
Notice how all of Daddy's family makes excuses for him while ignoring the facts.
1) Both the mother and father agree that the baby appeared normal when he was dropped off at Daddy's.
2) The autopsy reveals a death by blunt force trauma. Two brain hemorrhages were found by a trained doctor and certified child abuse specialist. These are typically caused by violent shaking and/or severe impact. Contrary to the deniers, we know how the baby died. And it was not by by a "tragic mystery."
3) This father has a documented history of assault and disorderly conduct. But of course that doesn't mean anything to the deniers either.
I suspect this is yet another couple that was never married and with no commitment to raising children together. And yet somebody deemed it necessary for Daddy to get "involved" anyway. These are the results too many times, especially with young men with trigger-tempers and violent tendencies.
Dad is identified as DERON D. LOVE.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/milwaukee-father-accused-of-neglect-in-death-of-son-will-go-to-trial-b9986601z1-221679561.html
Father charged with abuse, neglect in baby's death
By Ashley Luthern of the Journal Sentinel Aug. 29, 2013 1:40 p.m.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The family of 7-month-old Deron Darnell Love Jr. say his death is a tragic mystery.
But the boy's father, Deron D. Love, 26, of Milwaukee has been charged with physical abuse of a child and recklessly causing great bodily harm, and child neglect that led to great bodily harm.
He pleaded not guilty Thursday to the charges. A scheduling conference is set for Sept. 19.
"It really was a tragic accident," said Love's uncle, Walt Love, a former radio broadcaster who has run for elected office several times in Milwaukee County. "I know Deron very well and he was so happy to be a father. ... He was proud of his son."
An autopsy has not been completed, so an official cause of death has not been released. Police believe the child died from blunt force trauma. Charges could be upgraded depending on the result of the autopsy.
According to the criminal complaint and testimony from a witness called by Assistant District Attorney Grant Huebner:
The baby's mother dropped him off at Love's residence on the morning of Aug. 13. Love was awake, while a relative and her boyfriend were sleeping in a bedroom. Love and the baby's mother both said the child appeared normal when he was taken to Love's residence.
Love told investigators he propped his son with pillows on a couch, gave him a pacifier and then went into another room to iron his clothes for a meeting. When he checked on his son, he found the baby face-down on the floor next to the couch. Love said his son was not making any movements or noises.
Love said he gently shook his son to try to wake him and ran cold water over him to try to get a response. He sent numerous text messages to his girlfriend, who was supposed to come to the house and babysit during Love's meeting, and called 911.
Angela Rabbitt, a physician and a certified child abuse specialist, examined the baby and found two instances of blood on the brain. The first was on the front of the brain and seemed to be a few days old. The second hemorrhage was on the back of the brain, indicating it was a recent injury.
Rabbitt's medical opinion was that a traumatic event occurred moments before the respiratory failure that caused the baby to go limp. She also said a fall from a couch would not cause those injuries; rather, it was the result of severe impact to the child's head or violent shaking.
The child was declared dead at 8:38 a.m. Aug. 17.
In court Thursday, Love, wearing a red jail-issued uniform, was brought in shackled to a wheelchair. He rested his hands together as if he were praying with his head bowed. He looked up to consult with his attorney, Jane Christopherson, who asked Court Commissioner Rosa Barillas to dismiss the charges. Barillas denied that motion and bound Love over for trial.
Outside the courtroom, Walt Love acknowledged his nephew's prior brushes with the law but maintained Deron Love would not have hurt his son.
"He may have some things in his past, but he has never been aggressive or violent when it comes to children," Walt Love said.
Deron Love has prior convictions related to drug possession, battery and disorderly conduct. Walt Love said his nephew, who has been shot before, got into trouble because of his mentality of self-preservation in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Now, he worries his nephew also will face a homicide charge.
"We don't know how the child died," Walt Love said. "The end result is a tragedy. I lost my great-nephew and now they're trying to my take my nephew."