HUNTER SEWEJKIS - 4 months (12/2011) Accused: Anthony Sewejkis Canton MI

A Canton Township man was arraigned Friday in 35th District Court on charges he abused a 4-month-old infant. Anthony Lawrence Sewejkis, 25, is facing up to 15 years in prison on one count of first-degree child abuse. Canton Township Police were notified Wednesday of the suspected abuse by staff at a local hospital. Officers responded and subsequently took Sewejkis, a family member of the child, into custody. Sewejkis is being held on $500,000. A preliminary exam is set for Dec. 19.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111210/METRO/112100348/Man-charged-with-abusing-4-month-old#ixzz1g8qrdeSS

http://www.freep.com/article/20111209/NEWS02/111210001/Canton-father-charged-abusing-four-month-old-son?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

A Canton father accused of fracturing his 4-month-old son’s skull admitted he “messed up” as he was arraigned Friday afternoon in 35th District Court on a charge of first-degree child abuse.

Anthony Lawrence Sewejkis, 25, broke into tears during his video arraignment by 35th District Judge James Plakas following allegations he pushed his son’s head against the floor of a residence on Michigan Avenue near Sheldon.
Canton Detective Tim Wright, responding to questions from Plakas, said Friday afternoon the boy was in critical condition at the University of Michigan Hospital. Police had received a phone call around 11 p.m. Wednesday from a different hospital where the boy had initially been taken.

“It has been alleged that (Sewejkis) caused a fracture to the skull of his son by pushing his head to the floor,” Wright said during the arraignment.

The boy had undergone surgery to alleviate swelling, Wright told Plakas. The child’s mother wasn’t at home when the incident occurred.

Sewejkis briefly cried during his arraignment. “I messed up bad,” he told Plakas.

Plakas ordered Sewejkis jailed with a $500,000 cash bond and warned him not to have contact with his son if he should somehow be released. Plakas denied the father’s request to be freed and placed on a tether.

Plakas entered a not-guilty plea for Sewejkis and ordered him back in court Dec. 19 for a preliminary examination to determine whether he should face trial in Wayne County Circuit Court.

If convicted, the father could face penalties ranging up to 15 years in prison. Should the child’s condition deteriorate, Sewejkis could face more serious charges.

Plakas set the $500,000 cash bond after Wright indicated during the arraignment that a prior referral had been made to Child Protective Services.

Moreover, Sewejkis implied he couldn’t say where he would stay if he managed to be released from custody.

"As of right now I don’t know for sure,” he told Plakas.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

January Court Date for Anthony Sewejkis, Charged with Child Abuse

Sewejkis' 4-month-old son is in critical condition.


Anthony Sewejkis, 25, charged with child abuse
involving his 4-month-old son, returns to court on Jan. 5.

His attorney asked for the change in dates during a preliminary examination at the 35th District Court before Judge Ronald Lowe on Monday. Sewejkis is charged with a single count of first-degree child abuse, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Sewejkis was arrested after the Dec. 7 incident, when hospital workers reported suspected child abuse.
At Sewejkis' arraignment on Dec. 9, Judge James A. Plakas set the Canton man’s bond at $500,000. The Canton Observer has reported that the baby is not expected to survive.


http://canton-mi.patch.com/topics/Hunter+Sewejkis

Abused child clings to life as father faces trial

2:10 PM, Jan. 5, 2012


Maternal grandfather Sal Alongi holds a T-shirt showing his
grandson's image outside 35th District Court, where the child's father,
Anthony Lawrence Sewejkis, was ordered to stand trial on charges he
abused 4-month-old Hunter.


Written by Darrell Clem
Observer Staff Writer

Even if 5-month-old Hunter Sewejkis of Canton survives severe head injuries
blamed on his father — a scenario that remains in doubt — his doctor
testified in heart-wrenching detail Thursday what his life will be like.

He likely would never walk, sit up or eat on his own. He probably would be blind and possibly deaf.
“Hunter’s injuries are devastating, and I think it is still possible that Hunter
could succumb to his injuries,” Lisa Markman, a University of Michigan
Mott Children’s Hospital doctor, said.

Hunter, whose head was allegedly slammed twice against a carpet-covered
hardwood floor of his parents’ Michigan Avenue home on Dec. 7, already
has defied earlier expectations, prompting his maternal grandfather, Sal
Alongi, to call him “our little miracle baby.”

Yet Markman, testifying by a speaker phone during defendant Anthony
Lawrence Sewejkis’ preliminary hearing in 35th District Court, said
Hunter has suffered severe brain damage, narrowly surviving because his
brain stem continues to “tell his body to breathe.” “His quality of life, if he lives, will be extremely poor,” Markman said.


Testimony by Markman, Hunter’s mother, Leanne Garlick, and Canton Police
Detective Tim Wright convinced 35th District Judge Ronald Lowe to order
Sewejkis, 25, to stand trial in Wayne County Circuit Court for
first-degree child abuse. If convicted, Sewejkis faces up to 15 years in prison.

Lora Weingarden, lead attorney for the Wayne
County Prosecutor’s Office, has said she will seek higher charges
against Sewejkis if Hunter dies. Sewejkis remains jailed with a $500,000
cash bond.

Alongi, other relatives and family friends wore
T-shirts to court showing images of Hunter. The front asked for prayers
for a smiling Hunter, and the back showed the baby lying in his
hospital bed, tubes feeding his body, with a caption that read, “My Father’s Abuse.”

Lowe asked the family and supporters to
remove the T-shirts after defense attorney Kristin Pell said the
clothing, worn amid a highly publicized case, could jeopardize Sewejkis’
right to fair court proceedings by violating his due process.

Outside the courthouse, family and friends also carried
signs calling for an end to child abuse. They hope Hunter’s situation
can draw attention to what they called an escalating problem.
“Nobody should have to go through this,” family friend Beverly Decker said.

Alongi said the family remains hopeful that Hunter could surprise doctors by
slowly recovering, though he has conceded the outlook is grim.

“We went from thinking we would have to plan a funeral to thinking there’s a chance Hunter could survive this,” Alongi said.

Hunter’s mother was the first witness inside the courtroom as Sewejkis hearing
began. Garlick, who works for a limousine service, said her baby was
fine when she stopped home for an afternoon lunch on Dec. 7, but she
began receiving texts and phone calls from Sewejkis around 6 p.m.

said Sewejkis initially claimed Hunter had fallen off the couch and had
a “small bump” on his head. When Garlick came home, however, she said
Hunter’s face “looked uneven, slanted.”

Accompanied by Sewejkis, she took Hunter to Oakwood Annapolis Hospital, which contacted
Canton police after suspecting child abuse. Garlick said Sewejkis
appeared “somber and calm” on the way to the hospital.

Detective Wright spoke with Sewejkis at the hospital, saying the father initially
told him Hunter had fallen off the couch. He said Sewejkis talked of
the stresses of being a parent.

“He became emotional” and
talked of losing sleep and not getting enough parenting help from
Garlick “because she was working so much,” Wright testified.
Finally, Sewejkis admitted he picked up the crying baby with both hands and
struck the back of his head against the floor, Wright said, quoting
Sewejkis as saying, “I freaked. I f***ed up. I hurt the child.”

Alongi, sitting in the courtroom, was asked by Judge Lowe to leave after he
reacted aloud to the testimony of how Hunter was hurt. Alongi later said
he couldn’t control his emotions when he heard how brutally his
grandson had been treated.

Wright testified that Sewejkis gave a reason why he initially claimed the child had fallen off the couch.

“He said he was afraid to tell the truth about what happened because he would lose everything,” Wright said.


By everything, Sewejkis told Wright he meant Hunter, the baby’s mother and
a 6-year-old child she had from a previous relationship — a child that
often visited the Michigan Avenue home.

Meanwhile, Alongi said the family is asking for prayers for Hunter. Also, anyone who wants
to make donations for Hunter’s expenses — those not covered by
insurance — may send checks to Hunter Sewejkis at Alongi’s business
address, 12107 Merriman Road, Livonia, MI, 48150.

Alongi said donors who send $40 or more will be sent a T-shirt with Hunter’s
picture. Those donors who want the shirts should include a size along
with their name and address.

A trust fund also has been set up to allow donations to be made through TCF bank branches.


http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120105/NEWS03/120105011

Even if 5-month-old Hunter Sewejkis of Canton survives severe head
injuries blamed on his father — a scenario that remains in doubt — his
doctor testified in heart-wrenching detail Thursday what his life will
be like.
He likely would never walk, sit up or eat on his own. He probably would be blind and possibly deaf.
“Hunter's
injuries are devastating, and I think it is still possible that Hunter
could succumb to his injuries,” Lisa Markman, a University of Michigan
Mott Children's Hospital doctor, said.
Hunter, whose head was
allegedly slammed twice against a carpet-covered hardwood floor of his
parents' Michigan Avenue home on Dec. 7, already has defied earlier
expectations, prompting his maternal grandfather, Sal Alongi, to call
him “our little miracle baby.”
Barely surviving
Yet Markman,
testifying over a speaker phone during defendant Anthony Lawrence
Sewejkis' preliminary hearing in 35th District Court, said Hunter has
suffered severe brain damage, narrowly surviving because his brain stem
continues to “tell his body to breathe.”
“His quality of life, if he lives, will be extremely poor,” Markman said.
Testimony
by Markman, Hunter's mother, Leanne Garlick, and Canton Police
Detective Tim Wright convinced 35th District Judge Ronald Lowe to order
Sewejkis, 25, to stand trial in Wayne County Circuit Court for
first-degree child abuse. If convicted, Sewejkis faces up to 15 years in
prison.
Lora Weingarden, lead attorney for the Wayne County
Prosecutor's Office, has said she will seek higher charges against
Sewejkis if Hunter dies. Sewejkis remains jailed with a $500,000 cash
bond.
Alongi, other relatives and family friends wore T-shirts to
court showing images of Hunter. The front asked for prayers for a
smiling Hunter, and the back showed the baby lying in his hospital bed,
tubes feeding his body, with a caption that read, “My Father's Abuse.”
Shirt removal
Lowe
asked the family and supporters to remove the T-shirts after defense
attorney Kristin Pell said the clothing, worn amid a highly publicized
case, could jeopardize Sewejkis' right to fair court proceedings by
violating his due process.
Outside the courthouse, family and
friends also carried signs calling for an end to child abuse. They hope
Hunter's situation can draw attention to what they called an escalating
problem.
“Nobody should have to go through this,” family friend Beverly Decker said.
Alongi
said the family remains hopeful that Hunter could surprise doctors by
slowly recovering, though he has conceded the outlook is grim.
“We went from thinking we would have to plan a funeral to thinking there's a chance Hunter could survive this,” Alongi said.
Hunter's
mother was the first witness inside the courtroom as Sewejkis' hearing
began. Garlick, who works for a limousine service, said her baby was
fine when she stopped home for an afternoon lunch on Dec. 7, but she
began receiving texts and phone calls from Sewejkis around 6 p.m.
Garlick
said Sewejkis initially claimed Hunter had fallen off the couch and had
a “small bump” on his head. When Garlick came home, however, she said
Hunter's face “looked uneven, slanted.”
Accompanied by Sewejkis,
she took Hunter to Oakwood Annapolis Hospital, which contacted Canton
police after suspecting child abuse. Garlick said Sewejkis appeared
“somber and calm” on the way to the hospital.
Different stories
Detective
Wright spoke with Sewejkis at the hospital, saying the father initially
told him Hunter had fallen off the couch. He said Sewejkis talked of
the stresses of being a parent.
“He became emotional” and talked
of losing sleep and not getting enough parenting help from Garlick
“because she was working so much,” Wright testified.
Finally,
Sewejkis admitted he picked up the crying baby with both hands and
struck the back of his head against the floor, Wright said, quoting
Sewejkis as saying, “I freaked. I f***ed up. I hurt the child.”
Alongi,
sitting in the courtroom, was asked by Judge Lowe to leave after he
reacted aloud to the testimony of how Hunter was hurt. Alongi later said
he couldn't control his emotions when he heard how brutally his
grandson had been treated.
Wright testified that Sewejkis gave a reason why he initially claimed the child had fallen off the couch.
“He said he was afraid to tell the truth about what happened because he would lose everything,” Wright said.
By
everything, Sewejkis told Wright he meant Hunter, the baby's mother and
a 6-year-old child she had from a previous relationship — a child that
often visited the Michigan Avenue home.
Meanwhile, Alongi said the
family is asking for prayers for Hunter. Also, anyone who wants to make
donations for Hunter's expenses — those not covered by insurance — may
send checks to Hunter Sewejkis at Alongi's business address, 12107
Merriman, Livonia, MI 48150.
Alongi said donors who send $40 or
more will be sent a T-shirt with Hunter's picture. Those donors who want
the shirts should include a size along with their name and address.
A trust fund also has been set up to allow donations to be made through TCF bank branches.
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120108/NEWS03/201080440/Dad-faces-trial-son-clings-life?odyssey=nav|head

For a baby who wasn't expected to survive following accusations his father severely abused him, 6-month-old Hunter Sewejkis has proved fragile yet resilient during his eight weeks at the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital.

“He's moving both sides of his body. He also can see out of one eye, and he can hear out of both ears,” maternal grandfather Sal Alongi said.

None of that was expected, and doctors this week are scheduled to perform more tests to determine if Hunter — called “our little miracle baby” by Alongi — is improving from severe brain damage.

“He's not as bad as what they first diagnosed,” Alongi said. “They now think that maybe the left side of his brain might not be as bad as they thought. He's processing some information. He has actually laughed a couple of times.”

When a loved one approaches his hospital bed, little Hunter sometimes arches his back as though he wants to be picked up, Alongi said.

It has been a heartbreaking yet somewhat encouraging journey for Alongi, Hunter's mother, Leanne Garlick, and others.

“Each day he's getting a little stronger,” Alongi said. “We had a little setback when the doctors tried to wean him off his heavy meds and he had a reaction.”

The grandfather's comments came Friday, nearly two months after defendant Anthony Lawrence Sewejkis was accused of slamming Hunter's head against a carpet-covered hardwood floor of their home on Michigan Avenue while Garlick was at work Dec. 7.

Sewejkis, jailed with a $500,000 bond, is awaiting the outcome of his case in Wayne County Circuit Court. He could face 15 years in prison if he is convicted of first-degree child abuse.

Lora Weingarden, lead attorney for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, has said she will seek higher charges against Sewejkis if Hunter should die, though family members are increasingly hopeful he will continue to recover.

Alongi has asked for prayers for Hunter. Anyone who wants to make donations for Hunter's expenses, such as those not covered by insurance, may give to a trust fund set up through TCF bank branches.

If he survives, Hunter will face long-term expenses. And though his relatives remain guarded, they are increasingly hopeful he will, indeed, continue to show progress.

As family friend Beverly Decker has said, “Nobody should have to go through this.”

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120205/NEWS03/202050400

I just don't believe this is the first time this POS abused this poor helpless baby. Therefore I question the mother's role in this. Why didn't she put a stop to it? Why did she leave him alone with her son?

I hope this POS is beaten daily while in prison. I hope they beat his brains out and see how it likes it.

OMG!!! I can't believe the resillience of this little boy! Terribly beaten, and showing signs of improvement no matter how small.... gives my heart a little bit of joy through the sadness of the ordeal. There is a special place in hell for people like this I have NO doubt in my mind!! For sure keeping this little guy in my thoughts and prayers for as full and speedy recovery as he can have!!!

Hello everyone. I have been cleared to inform everyone of Hunters custody situation. Hunter Grandparents currently have custody of him. If you would like to make monetary donations they can be made to any TCF bank branch (the Hunters Sewejkis fund), to SDL Spray Systems c/o Hunter 12107 Merriman Rd Livonia, Mi 48150.

posted on hunters fb page

Canton baby Hunter Sewejkis, who spent 11 weeks in a hospital following charges his father abused him by slamming his head against a floor, has been released to stay at the home of his maternal grandfather, Sal Alongi.

The latest development comes as Hunter's father, 25-year-old Anthony Sewejkis, faces a possible 15-year prison term if convicted of first-degree child abuse during a jury trial scheduled for May 8 in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Hunter, referred to by Alongi as “our little miracle baby” for defying earlier expectations he wouldn't survive, was released Feb. 21 from the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Alongi, his wife Theresa Alongi and his stepdaughter, Stephanie Babbitt, have cared for Hunter using equipment such as feeding tubes the hospital sent home with them. Hunter's mother, Leanne Garlick, also has made visits to her child.

Alongi and his wife live in Belleville.

“Right now, Hunter is in our custody,” Alongi said, adding that Hunter continues to slowly improve despite occasional setbacks.

Slow improvement

“He's definitely happier (after leaving the hospital),” Alongi said. “He's starting to smile quite often now and make some of the normal baby sounds that most babies make.”

Hunter, now 7 months old, was a mere 4 months old when his father was accused of abusing him at their home on Michigan Avenue, while Hunter's mother was at work. Authorities have said Hunter suffered severe injuries when his head was struck against a carpet-covered hardwood floor.

“I messed up bad,” a tearful Sewejkis said Dec. 9 during his arraignment in 35th District Court on a charge of first-degree child abuse charge.

Some of Sewejkis's relatives have said they don't believe he would have intentionally hurt Hunter.

Meanwhile, Alongi said Hunter now weighs just over 19 pounds. Garlick, who came home from work to find her baby injured, has said in court that Hunter's head looked “uneven, slanted.”

Family hopeful

Alongi said Hunter has improved, though his long-term prognosis isn't known. The family is hopeful the baby will rebound from brain damage cited by doctors.

“His head is starting to take the shape of a normal baby, except for the back of his head,” Alongi said. “He is gaining strength each day.”

Alongi's wife has taken a leave of absence from her job, and the family has taken shifts caring for little Hunter.

“It's very hard, to be honest,” Alongi said. “He requires a lot of constant attention.”

Anyone who wants to make donations for Hunter's expenses, including those not covered by insurance, may give to a trust fund set up through TCF bank branches.

So much remains unknown. To what extent will Hunter recover? What will be his father's fate?

Yet one aspect of Hunter's life is known, Alongi said: “He's a little fighter.”

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120304/NEWS03/203040409

This "little fighter" should not be fighting this battle at all. To think that a newborn could have this kind of horror inflicted is disturbing, to say the least.

The asshat says he "messed up bad". Are you effing kidding me? That's what you say after forgetting to put gas in the car or neglecting to recognize your anniversary; not after slamming a newborn's head into a floor. What you did was way beyond "messed up"!

I completely agree.

Is anything known about the mother?

Canton stay-at-home father Anthony Sewejkis is facing sentencing
May 25 after he was convicted of first-degree child abuse for causing
near-fatal injuries to his 4-month-old son, Hunter, last Dec. 7 inside
their three-bedroom rental home on Michigan Avenue.
Sewejkis was
found guilty by a Wayne County jury that returned its verdict Thursday
morning following deliberations that began Wednesday afternoon. He could
face 15 years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Margaret Van
Houten.
“I feel wonderful about the outcome,” said maternal
grandfather Sal Alongi, who, along with wife Theresa, has custody of
Hunter, now 9 months old. “I'm extremely happy. It brings some closure.
Unfortunately the most (Sewejkis) can get is 15 years, but Hunter's got a
life sentence.”
Sewejkis was accused of slamming Hunter's head
against a carpet-covered hardwood floor while the child's mother, Leanne
Garlick, was working for an Ann Arbor taxi service.
The injuries
caused brain damage and left Hunter partially blind and partially
paralyzed. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lora Weingarden said
Tuesday in court that it's unknown to what extent the child will
recover.
Alongi and Garlick sat in Van Houten's courtroom Thursday
morning when the jury returned its verdict. An emotional Alongi was
escorted out after he yelled “yes!” and applauded the decision.
“I couldn't help it,” he said. “I later apologized to everybody.”
Weingarden hailed the jury's decision to find Sewejkis guilty as charged.
“We're pleased with the verdict,” she said Thursday. “We feel justice was done.”
Defense attorney Kelly D. Watson said he is likely to advise Sewejkis to consider an appeal.
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120513/NEWS15/205130544/Dad-convicted-son-s-abuse