KYMARI CLARK - 16 Months (2010) - Murfreesboro (SE of Nashville) TN

A Murfreesboro man will face a charge of aggravated child abuse in
General Sessions Court in July in connection to the alleged brutal
beating of a 16-month-old victim that left the child with traumatic
brain injuries.
Rashii T. Brisbon, 32, of 2840 South Church Street, was arrested
Thursday following an investigation and a subsequent interview at the
Murfreesboro Police Department Thursday.Murfreesboro Police Detective Tommy Roberts was first
called to the Middle Tennessee Medical Center Emergency Room Wednesday
in reference to a toddler with severe injuries. That toddler remained in
a Nashville hospital Friday on life support due to the injuries,
according to police.“Upon the arrival of EMS the victim
was unresponsive,” Roberts reported. “They also observed bruising around
the neck of the victim. Doctors at MTMC stated the baby also had
bleeding on the brain.”The child was flown to Vanderbilt
Children’s Hospital in Nashville from MTMC via LifeFlight helicopter.
Detectives Roberts and Paul Mongold went to speak with the father of the
child to question him about what may have happened. “Mr.
Brisbon gave conflicting stories several times at the MTMC emergency
department,” Roberts reported. “Myself and DCS case worker Kevin Smith
went to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and gathered information on the
injuries sustained by the victim.”The detective and case
worker learned the injuries to the victim included subdural hematoma (a
form of traumatic brain injury), retinal hemorrhages (abnormal bleeding
of blood vessels in the back of the eye), damaged liver, neck injury and
bruising around the neck, among other problems, according to Roberts.“Mr.
Brisbon had told the staff that the victim had fell off a sofa and also
stated the child may have choked on bread,” Roberts reported. “The
doctors told me the injuries sustained by the victim would not have been
caused by the way Mr. Brisbon stated.”Medical reports
stated the “baby was a victim of non-accidental trauma caused by an
adult.”Brisbon told Mongold and Roberts that he was the
only adult in the home at the time the child was injured, according to a
police report. Roberts interviewed Brisbon at the Murfreesboro Police
Department Thursday evening.“Based on the investigation
Mr. Brisbon was charged with aggravated child abuse,” Roberts said.
“Other charges are pending. Mr. Brisbon also had an outstanding warrant
for desertion from the U.S. Army,” Roberts said.Brisbon’s
bond was set at $30,000 following his booking into the Rutherford County
Adult Detention Center around 5 p.m. Friday.

A 16-month-old who police said was severely
beaten has died from his injuries.

Kymari Clark died at 8:55 p.m. Friday at
Vanderbilt Children's hospital.

Police said 32-year-old Rashii Brisbon was
with the child when she was hurt. Brisbon told police the baby fell off
the couch, and choked on bread.

Doctors disagreed and said the injuries were
too severe. They told investigators that the child was a victim of
"non-accidental trauma -- caused by an adult."

Brisbon was charged with aggravated child
abuse and desertion from the Armed Forces. Police said Brisbon could now
face murder charges, pending the results of an autopsy.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A woman's step-father, accused of murdering her 16-month-old son was on trial Thursday in Rutherford County.

The trial for 33-year-old Rashii Brisbon
began in Murfreesboro Thursday. Brisbon was accused of killing
16-month-old Kymari Clark in 2010. Clark was staying with Brisbon and
his biological grandmother for the summer.

Kymari was rushed to Monroe Carell Jr
Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt after Brisbon, the child's
step-grandfather called 911 saying the toddler fell off a couch causing
head trauma. Brisbon told officials that the child had fallen due to a
seizure brought on by a rare disease

Doctors at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital
disagreed, saying the toddler died from swelling of the brain consistent
with child abuse.

During the trial it was revealed that when
Murfreesboro Police interviewed Brisbon directly after the incident, the
man changed his story a number of times. He said at one point Kymari
had choked on bread, the said he choked on chicken. Police said the
story was simply inconstant.

Police also discovered when checking Brisbon's phone records that he called two other people before calling 911.

Kymari's mother Vanessa Clark took the stand
today describing what she saw after arriving from Indiana--- the last
time she saw her son breathing.

"So when I went in there, I saw KeKe (Kymari)
and he was lying in the hospital bed not moving around. His eyes were
closed, he had on a neck brace and tubes and all of that," she said.

While Brisbon is facing first degree felony
murder charges the district attorney said the death penalty is not an
option in this case.
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15954703/trial-begins-in-death-of-murfreesboro-toddler

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.- A single juror spared a mid-state man from a murder conviction in the death of his step-daughter's 16-month-old son.

In an 11 to 1 vote, the jury Tuesday did not
convict Rashii Brisbon of murder in the April 2010 death of Kymari
Clark. He was found guilty of aggravated child abuse.

He could face up to 25 years in prison, and it is possible that he could be tried again on the murder charge.


Prosecutors claimed in crucial moments before
the baby died, Brisbon waited to call 911, apparently calling two other
people before contacting paramedics.

"So we asked him are you sure it wasn't an
accident? are you sure something didn't happen? And he said, 'Nothing.'
Something happened because this baby is dead. This baby had blood in his
head and it didn't just get there," said District Attorney Laural
Hemenway.

However, defense attorneys said Kymari had a
rare genetic disorder that causes seizures. Brisbon was out of the
room, when the child had a seizure and fell off a couch.

When Brisbon walked back in, he said he found the infant on the floor.

Brisbon's business partners testified in
court Monday saying he was never violent toward his children or
grandchildren, and that he would never hurt them.

"They loved him. I remember when we first
came there and they were hanging on him. You know, like how the love of
their dad. Hold on to his leg and rubbing on his face. You never had any
sense that there was any kind of dissension in that home," said Dr.
Tina Gresham.

The medical examiner testified saying Kymari didn't have a seizure, but he died because he was shaken.
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15985660/juror-spares-man-from-murder-conviction-in-toddler-death

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. - A man convicted of child abuse in the death of a 16-month old has been sentenced to the next 20 years in prison.

In November, a jury convicted Rashii Brisbon of one count of aggravated child abuse, but couldn't reach a verdict on the count of first degree premeditated murder.

Brisbon was taking care of 16-month-old Kymari Clark when the child got hurt. The child was his stepdaughter's son.

Prosecutors told the jury the baby had been shaken violently. Defense attorneys said Kymari had a rare genetic disorder that causes seizures. They claimed Brisbon was out of the room when the child had a seizure and fell off a couch.

The Daily News Journal reported his family is satisfied with the sentence.

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16486701/man-sentenced-to-20-years-for-child-abuse