HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Police in Hollywood said a man has confessed to causing the death of his girlfriend's baby girl, who died of shaken baby syndrome.
According to Hollywood police, officers went to a home in the 1800 block of Fillmore Street on June 12 after receiving a report that a baby was not breathing. Officers performed CPR on the child, 11-month-old Angeliah Duncan, until Hollywood Fire Rescue came and took her to Memorial R
egional Hospital.
The child died on June 15. The medical examiner performed an autopsy and determined that the child was the victim of a homicide and died as a result of shaken baby syndrome.
Hollywood police said Rosemary Rodriguez and 39-year-old Cecil Weekes, the child's mother and the mother's boyfriend, were home at the time of the incident. Investigators said the couple claimed they were outside smoking cigarettes when they heard the baby gasping for air.
Both Rodriguez and Weekes agreed to take a polygraph test, which was scheduled for Aug. 4. But on Tuesday, Weekes contacted detectives and went to the police department, where police said he confessed to causing the injuries that killed Duncan.
Police said Weekes told them he shook Duncan because she wouldn't stop crying as he tried to sleep.
Weekes has been charged with felony murder. Rodriguez was not charged.
SPOTSYLVANIA, VA (WWBT) - A Spotsylvania County community is in shock tonight. A three month old is dead and his baby sitter is behind bars. Investigators say she shook the infant because he was crying:
Before you ever get to the front door its apparent children were the center of this Spotsylvania county home...
"They've always had kids play outside in their backyard and front yard and that's about it," said neighbor Donna Street.
Now these overturned toys are just reminders of several overturned lives.
"It's shocking, very shocking... Too close to home," Street said.
On
Tuesday, 27 year old Larisa Thomas called 911 to report a child wasn't breathing.
"When deputies arrived on scene the baby was unresponsive. They immediately started CPR on the baby until medical crews got there," said First Sgt. Liz Scott, Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.
3-month-old Elijah Lynch Hobbs died Wednesday at the VCU Medical Center. He was bleeding from the brain. Injuries the medical examiner deemed consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
Investigators say Thomas confessed to shaking Elijah after she'd only been watching him for about 30 minutes. Elijah's two year old brother and Thomas' children were also home during the assault.
"It's heartbreaking for the officers who responded it's heartbreaking for the community and obviously for this poor family and the suspect's children," said Scott.
Neighbors say Thomas had four children ranging in age from 8 to 20 months. They say she hadn't lived in the neighborhood lon
g and kept to herself. Thomas' children are now staying with family members, who tried to get in the house to retrieve the children's clothes and toys.
"If you're in a situation where you become emotional or you feel like you can't handle a particular child call a neighbor, call a friend, call a relative, call the sheriff's office," said Scott.
Thomas is charged with felony child neglect and second degree murder. She's being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (STNG) ― Bond was denied Friday for a northwest suburban man charged with murdering his 5-month-old son, who died Wednesday afternoon of blunt head trauma caused from child abuse.
Dylan Kibayasi of 1714 Sable Ln. in Mount Prospect was pronounced dead at 12:41 p.m. Wednesday at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
An autopsy conducted Friday revealed Dylan died from a subdura
l hematoma caused by blunt head trauma as a result of child abuse, and his death was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner's office said.
First-degree murder charges were filed Friday against the boy's father, Ibrahim Kibayasi, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. He was denied bond by Judge Bridget Hughes.
The alleged abuse happened on Sept. 3 at the Mount Prospect home Ibrahim Kibayasi shared with his wife and Dylan. Ibrahim, a stay-at-home dad, was taking care of Dylan while his mother was at work when the baby developed diarrhea, which caused multiple diaper changes, court records indicated.
At about 3:30 p.m., his father became angry and started yelling at the baby. He picked Dylan up and shook him multiple times, jerking his head back and forth as he shook him, prosecutors allege. He then threw the baby onto the bed.
He immediately saw Dylan's eyes roll back in his head and n
oticed the baby was having trouble breathing. He attempted to perform CPR but couldn't because Dylan's nose was bleeding, court records said.
He then drove to pick up his wife, the boy's mother, from work without telling her what had occurred. She immediately noticed the baby's eyes rolled back and called 911, according to court records.
The boy suffered a seizure on the way to the hospital and was initally admitted to Lutheran General in critical condition, court records said. Doctors in the emergency room said the boy suffered a subdural hematoma, as well as a retinal hemorrhage caused by shaken baby syndrome. Tests also indicated the boy had three healing rib fractures, consistent with being tightly squeezed.
Ibrahim Kibayasi gave a videotaped statement to police, indicating he violently shook the baby even though he knew he should not. He told police he grabbed the boy by the midsection and lightly squeezed him out of anger a few weeks prior and did not tell the b
oy's mother, court records said.
Ibrahim Kibayasi, 29, was originally arrested by Mount Prospect police on Monday and charged with aggravated battery of a child, police said.
He has no criminal history but is considered a flight risk because he was in the United States on a student visa which expired seven years ago. He is originally from Tanzania, court records indicate.
DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe said the agency is investigating Dylan's death. The agency had received what Marlowe called "unfounded allegations of abuse" against both parents in June. There are no other children in the home, he said.
Ibrahim Kibayasi is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 1 in Rolling Meadows.
LANDRUM, S.C. -- A 43-year-old woman is facing murder charges after a 5-month-old baby she was caring for died Sunday.
Evelyn Petty was arrested and booked into the Spartanburg County Jail Tuesday afternoon.
She is charged with homicide by child abuse.
Petty was caring for Jordan Maurice Roy at her apartment home in Landrum on Sunday morning
when he was found unresponsive, according to the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office. The child was in the Upstate, but lives in Columbus, N.C., according to the coroner.
Investigators said that Petty was also babysitting a 4-year-old child at the time who was her grandchild and sibling to the deceased infant.
The infant was transported to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
While officials were investigating at Petty's apartment, she locked herself in a bathroom, then tried to overdose on pills and beer, investigators said.
She was taken to the hospital. Once she was released, she was taken to the detention center.
The coroner said an autopsy on the baby indicated the death was suspicious. Toxicology reports are pending.
"Appeared to be a brain injury that was inconsistent with something you would experience, or would appear to be accidental," said Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger.
Clevenger said Petty adm
itted to dropping the baby and then shaking him in an attempt at resuscitation. He said based on the results of an autopsy, it appears the boy was only shaken.
"Most children, newborns on up, are extremely tough, but they're also very fragile," said Clevenger. "Children can't be shaken."
The boy's mother talked to WYFF News 4's Mike McCormick by phone.
"I'm trying to focus on laying my child to rest and praying that justice is served for the person that was involved in it and I love my son," said Erin Roy. "Jordan, you're God's angel now."
The incident left the coroner urging people who care for children to think before they act.
"I know times are tough, the economy, everything being as it is. Step back, take two breaths," said Clevenger. "You can be frustrated whatnot, may have the child in your arms, but stop, back up, take two breaths and then go into your situation calmly, because a child has no defense, especially one this small."
n
The family of Jordan Maurice Roy set up an account at Bank of America to help pay for his funeral.
Donations can be made to any branch under the Jordan Roy Funeral Expense Account.
"It was an accident," Davis said as he was led inside.
CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Police are looking for a man they say abused and killed a 22-month-old girl.
Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were called the 5700 block Copper Creek Court on Friday, Nov. 27 at 3:45 pm.
The CMPD says Jalenthia Caldwell was left with the mother's boyfriend while she was working.
When Lattayne Caldwell returned home, she saw her baby sleeping in a peculiar position and tried to wake up the child.
She eventually called MEDIC and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Jalenthia Caldwell was taken to Presbyterian Hospital-Main where she died Sunday.
On Monday, the CMPD obtained warrants for the arrest of the Lattayne's boyfriend, Randy Rashawn Moorehead. Once he is located, police intend to charge him with first-degree murder and felony child abuse.
"He knows how much my child meant to me and my family," Lattayne Caldwell said.
She believes Moorehead shook the child so hard it caused brain damage.
Lattayne Caldwell described her daughter as a beautiful child with a lot of personality.
"She shined a light on everything she came across," Caldwell said. "She was nothing but precious, she was an angel from God."
If you know where Moorehead is, call 704-432-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
MILWAUKEE -- Charges are expected to be filed later this week in the death of a 6-month-old girl, Milwaukee police said.
Dekia Mattox died early Saturday morning. Milwaukee police said she may have been shaken before being stuffed between mattresses.
Police said the baby's mother is 15 years old. She was out. Her aunt had custody of Dekia and left her home with her boyfriend and a friend that night. When the aunt returned, the baby wasn't breathing, police said.
"Would you leave your babies with them?" 12 News reporter Colleen Henry asked family friend Amanda Kiepert.
"No, no," Kiepert said.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified said several people worried about the baby's safety and called child welfare. A social worker came out.
"Five or six different people that made calls to social services, so why didn't they follow up or do something?" the neighbor asked.
Child Welfare said the law prevents comment on Dekia's death until criminal charges are filed.
"They're not nice guys," family friend Destiny Harris said.
Harris lived with Dekia's family till just last week. She said she wouldn't have left the baby with the aunt's boyfriend and his friend either, but she never saw signs of abuse.
"She didn't have no bruises on her," Harris said. "Every time I think about it or hear about it, I just start crying because I can't picture her dying. I can't."
The house where the homicide happened was boarded up Monday morning. Police said they've been called there several times with drug-dealing complaints.
The baby's aunt, the aunt's boyfriend and his friend remained at the Milwaukee County Jail Monday night.
The district attorney's office said charges are expected by Wednesday. The aunt, who had custody of the baby, could face neglect charges.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 22-year-old Orlando man was arrested Sunday on allegations that he shook an infant, who is listed in critical condition.
Brennan J. Knowles was arrested on charges of child abuse, cruelty toward a child and child neglect.
According to Orlando police, Knowles was caring for the 4-month-old boy on Saturday when his girlfriend went to work at a Taco Bell in Altamonte Springs.
When the girlfriend returned home, she was unable to revive the infant and called 911, according to a police report.
Knowles admitted to shaking the baby, but he did not think that he shook him that hard, the report stated.
The boy was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital with injuries resulting from Shaken Baby Syndrome, the police report said.
AUGUSTA---Richmond County investigators have arrested a man they say shook his three-month-old son. 22-year-old Corduray Scott is charged with first degree cruelty to children.
Deputies tell News 12 the baby is on life support and is not expected to survive. The infant suffered from several broken ribs and detached retinas.
We're told Scott could face more charges if the child dies.
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/22774341/detail.htmlBOSTON --
A Malden man who works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was accused in the death of his 6-month-old son.
Geoffrey Wilson, 31, was arrested Sunday night and charged with murder in connection with the death of his son Nathan.
Nathan was in his father's care on Sunday in their Malden home. When the baby's mother returned home, police said Nathan was unresponsive and in obvious distress. He was taken to Children's Hospital, where he later died.
Officials said the baby had facial bruises and severe brain injuries that are consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
During his arraignment in Malden District Court, officials said Wilson admitted shaking his son, but said it was not hard enough to harm the baby.
"He tried to simulate the baby being in a car by shaking him as if you were in a car, going over a bump or something of that nature. He said, 'I didn't think it was gentle but it was not way more than gentle,'" prosecutor Marcy Jackson said.
Wilson works at MIT's Media Lab as a Contracts and Intellectual Property Administrator.
Defense attorney Jay Carney said Wilson is a loving father who is in shock over the death of his son.
"By all accounts of every person I have spoken to, Geoff adored his son Nathan and loved playing with him. This is inexplicable to them," Carney said.
The cause and manner of the baby's death are under investigation by the office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Wilson is scheduled to return to court on March 29 for a pre-trial hearing.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...10/03/09/man_accused_of_shaking_son_to_death/“The injury, according to the doctor, was consistent with extreme violent shaking,’’ Assistant Middlesex District Attorney Marcy Jackson said yesterday. “The doctors don’t see it as any other injury than shaken baby syndrome.’’
Police were alerted to the Wilson family at about 2 p.m. Sunday by the state Department of Children and Families. Doctors at Children’s Hospital Boston told officials that the boy had bleeding of the brain and that he had bruises on his forehead, cheek, and chin. He died of cardiac arrest, Jackson said in court yesterday.