DANIEL LEWIS - 3 Months (2011)- Kernersville (E of Win-Salem) NC

Forsyth County -- Forsyth County deputies were called to Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center in reference on a possible child abuse case,
Wednesday night.

Deputies spoke with a doctor who told them a 3 month-old infant had
been transported by EMS to the Emergency Room earlier that afternoon.

According to detectives, the doctor told them the infant's injuries were inconsistent with those that are accidental in nature.

Detectives immediately began an investigation into the circumstances of the injuries sustained by the infant.


On Friday, Investigators charged the parents, John Lawrence Lewis,
III, 21, and Jennifer Marlene Lewis, 19, with 2 counts each of Felony
Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Injury.

Their bonds were secured in the amount of $225,000.

The incident is alleged to have occurred at the home of the family located at 1704 Abbottsford Drive in Kernersville.

The infant remains hospitalized in critical condition.

This investigation is on-going.

Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

A Kernersville man pleaded guilty Thursday to shaking and
throwing his son when the baby was 3 months old, resulting in likely
permanent severe brain damage in what a prosecutor called one of the
worst cases of child abuse she has ever seen.

John Lawrence Lewis III, 22, pleaded guilty in Forsyth Superior Court
to two counts of felony intentional child abuse inflicting serious
bodily injury and one count of felony intentional child abuse inflicting
serious physical injury. Judge Ron Spivey consolidated the charges and
sentenced Lewis to a total of about 17 to 22 years in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Kia Chavious said Lewis shook his son,
Daniel, to keep him from crying in September. When his wife, Jennifer
Marlene Lewis, told him to stop, he dropped the child onto a chair,
Chavious said. Jennifer Lewis is also facing charges of child abuse, and
her case is pending.

"This is one of the most egregious child abuse cases I've seen,"
Chavious said. "It's absolutely deplorable…The child was an
inconvenience, and he had to silence the inconvenience. He treated this
child like a piece of garbage and not like a human being."

The child started developing problems throughout the night, and the
parents took their child, who was born premature, first to their
pediatrician and then to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's emergency
room, she said. The couple told doctors that Jennifer Lewis had tripped
over the dog and fell with Daniel. They said Daniel must have hit a
chair or something, Chavious said.

But doctors believed the injuries, which included fractured ribs and
brain damage, were inconsistent with an accident and contacted
investigators with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, Chavious said.

Doctors told investigators that they had found indications of both
old and recent brain damage, suggesting possible earlier abuse, she
said. Investigators interviewed John Lewis and Jennifer Lewis, who
initially insisted that Daniel was injured in an accident. But after
being told that wasn't possible, they told investigators in separate
interviews that John Lewis had shaken and thrown Daniel on several
occasions when he "lost his cool."

Investigators determined that John Lewis had shaken the infant at
least three times in separate incidents and had thrown or dropped Daniel
five times, including one incident in which Lewis threw the child into
his crib with such force that the infant bounced up before landing back
into the crib, Chavious said.

Because he was born prematurely, Daniel wasn't released from the
hosptial to the Lewises until July 25, 2011, Chavious said. Daniel now
has severe brain damage that will limit his development and affect him
for the rest of his life, she said.

Dan Anthony, Lewis' attorney, said Lewis is extremely remorseful. His
family had expressed some concerns about his mental health and believed
he might have had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Anthony
said.

Lewis has no prior criminal record, and his family had never before seen him physically abuse children, Anthony said.

Jennifer and John Lewis no longer have custody of their son, who is now about 10 months old and lives with relatives.

Anthony said the child has seizures, but his condition has improved.
Daniel is able to sit up and is aware. Chavious, however, said that
doctors have told her that Daniel's brain damage is likely permanent and
will require long-term medical assistance and care.

"This child never had a chance," she said.
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2012/apr/05/man-pleads-guilty-to-shaking-throwing-3-month-old--ar-2131902/

17-22 years? not long enough.

flash0115 wrote:17-22 years? not long enough.

I agree. This POS abuser damaged this baby for the rest of his life so he should be in jail for life too. It's so sickening how the perp seems to have more rights than the victims. I hope the mother is fully prosecuted as well and I pray for a miracle for this poor baby.