JAMES DANTZLER - 3 yo (2009) - Bloomington IN

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A man is expected to be charged with murder after his girlfriend's son died at an Indianapolis hospital.Bloomington
police said Christopher Bridgewater, 27, told officers that he struck
James Dantzler, 3, several times while wrestling with the boy.

The
boy was found unresponsive in his home Thursday and was taken by
medical helicopter to Riley Hospital for Children, where he later died.
Dantzler's mother, Jessica Merryman, 30, was arrested on a charge of neglect of a dependent.Police said Dantzler suffered numerous bruises to his neck, forehead, abdomen, chest and inside his ears.A murder charge against Bridgewater is expected to be filed on Monday.

May 1st, 2011

Woman Charged With Neglect Gets Bond Reduction
Last updated on Thursday, January 07, 2010


(BLOOMINGTON, IN) - The bond of a Bloomington woman charged with neglect resulting in the death of her 3-year-old son was reduced by a judge Tuesday.
30-year-old Jessica Merryman was originally being held on half a million dollars since her son's death.
3-year-old James Dantzler reportedly died as a result of injuries made to the child from Merryman's boyfriend, 27-year-old Christopher Bridgwaters.
Bridgewaters is currently being held in jail without bond on a charge of murder, facing life in prison without parole.
During Merryman's bond reduction hearing Tuesday morning, court-appointed defense attorney Ron Chapman argued that Merryman, who suffers from diabetes, has never been arrested before and that her bond should not be more than the standard amount, $50,000, for the Class A felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death.
On Dec. 15, Merryman's request to be released so she could bury her son was denied.
Merryman's bail is now set at $50,000 surety plus $1,000 cash.
James Dantzler reportedly died from internal bleeding in his brain and abdomen, with more than 50 bruises over his chest, abdomen, under his chin and on his forehead.

Bridgwater
10/26/2011 Final PreTrial Conference (9:15 AM) (Judicial Officer Diekhoff, Mary Ellen) 07/22/2011 Continued to 10/26/2011 - By Request - Bridgwaters, Christopher Jay

11/14/2011 Jury Trial (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Diekhoff, Mary Ellen)
06/28/2011, 06/29/2011, 07/26/2011, 07/27/2011, 07/28/2011, 07/29/2011, 11/14/2011, 11/15/2011, 11/16/2011, 11/17/2011, 11/18/2011
06/27/2011 Reset by Court to 07/25/2011
07/25/2011 Continued to 11/14/2011 - By Request - Bridgwaters, Christopher Jay

https://mycase.in.gov/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=3971253

The Herald-Times
More on the murder trial of 29-year-old Christopher Bridgwaters in Monroe Circuit Court this week. He is charged with killing James Dantzler in December 2009.
**Morning trial update ** Mother collapses in tears while testifying in court about son’s death
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2011/11/15/news.qp-7015214.sto

Mother collapses in tears while testifying in court about son’s death [log in]
www.heraldtimesonline.com
HeraldTimesOnline.com - the leading source of news, entertainment, and information in South-Central Indiana

posters note:I can't get anymore info unless I buy a subscription to the newspaper.

Jury finds Bridgwaters guilty of reckless homicide in trial over 3-year-old's death

By Laura Lane
331-4362 | llane@heraldt.com
November 17, 2011
The prosecution claimed 3-year-old James Dantzler “had the life beat out of him” two years ago at the hand of Christophe ...

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Thanks Mermaid for the updates. I wish there were some online news sources that would publish the results.

Bloomington man gets maximum 8 years in death of 3-year-old

By Laura Lane
331-4362 | llane@heraldt.com
December 14, 2011
Christopher Bridgwaters said he never intended to hurt 3-year-old James Dantzler, and jurors last month agreed: they fou ...

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http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2011/12/14/news.bloomington-man-gets-maximum-8-years-in-death-of-3-year-old.sto

mermaid55 wrote:Bloomington man gets maximum 8 years in death of 3-year-old

By Laura Lane
331-4362 | llane@heraldt.com
December 14, 2011
Christopher Bridgwaters said he never intended to hurt 3-year-old James Dantzler, and jurors last month agreed: they fou ...

Please log in to read the rest of this story.

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2011/12/14/news.bloomington-man-gets-maximum-8-years-in-death-of-3-year-old.sto

James Dantzler reportedly died from internal bleeding in his brain and
abdomen, with more than 50 bruises over his chest, abdomen, under his
chin and on his forehead.

Nawwww. He didn't mean to hurt him. He meant to kill him! 8 years are you effing kidding me??? Let's see; there's an asshat for the convict, one for the mother, twelve for the jurors and another one for the judge who agreed to this travesty. No justice for James!

Jessica Merryman

11/29/2011 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Pretrial Conference scheduled for 12/20/2011 at 10:00 AM.
12/20/2011 Pretrial Conference (10:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Diekhoff, Mary Ellen)

https://mycase.in.gov/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=3971248

The sentence of James' murderer is ridiculous. 8 years! He will be out before we know it and murder someone else. What is wrong with our judicial system?

I am very glad that I did not run into this when this was happening because I dont know if I would be able to be as calm as I am now. Not with the crime itself, but how TomTerrific0420 posted about passing out certain "awards" when he has no idea what had happened. I knew all parties in this situation and I can tell you this, 100% without a doubt Jessica Merriman should not be charged in this at all. But its so strange how a family's name can carry where people try to make the other victim look responsible instead of facing up to their responsibilities. Bloomington has no grip on reality when it comes to the law in most cases. But posting things like this about the mother when you have no basis for facts, makes the legal situation a lot more harsh on another victim rather than pitchfork justice. I hope that you guys dont do this on other posts and let them have their court.

I'm very sorry for your loss. As a mother of 3 children, I can tell you this, if I were her:

"She reportedly told police James was afraid of Bridgewaters and begged not to be left alone with him, but she left the toddler in his care anyway."

Then I wouldn't have left James alone with him.

"She called an ambulance the afternoon of Dec. 10 when she came home and realized the boy was not breathing. He died the next day at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis."

This shouldn't have happened in the first place. She should have listened to her child and not her penis. Undoubtedly this statement to the police is what got her charged with neglect, which, IMO, if a child is asking/begging/pleading for help, and you do NOTHING, then by all means there SHOULD be charges. Someone needs to protect our children, if their own mother won't.


Above quotes were supplied from:
http://domesticviolencekills.blogspot.com/2009/12/james-dantzler.html?m=1

When a penis injures or murders a child, the uterus should ALWAYS be charged and prosecuted. The uterus is responsible for the child, period.