TY'ASIA PHILLIPS - 4 yo/ Accused: Father-Willie C Jones - Augusta GA

Before 4-year-old Ty’Asia Phillips was removed from life support and
died March 17 after what authorities say was a brutal beating by her
father, there had been three calls to child protective services stating
concerns over her well-being, documents obtained by The Augusta Chron­icle show.





The Department of Family and Children Services was first called when
Ty’Asia was in the hospital in January 2009, according to agency files
secured in an open-records request. The reason for the hospitalization
and other facts about the case were deleted from the report.

When her mother came to visit, she brought another child, and both
appeared dirty and unkempt, the complaint states. A DFCS caseworker
interviewed the mother, who explained that she had to walk to the
hospital with her other child.

The caseworker determined Ty’Asia would be living with her mother and
maternal grandmother, who was supportive and who maintained a safe
home, and closed the case.

A few months later, DFCS was called again. The mother had not been
visiting Ty’Asia regularly in the hospital, and when she did show up she
brought along different men or family members, the case file states. No
one held the baby during the brief visits, leading a hospital worker to
believe there was no bonding with the child. Though the mother had
attended parenting meetings, there were worries about Ty’Asia’s safety
because she would need special care after her release. The social worker
decided there wasn’t any danger, especially in light of the
grandmother’s decision to seek guardianship. The caseworker referred the
family to support services, and the case was closed in May 2009.

Last Nov. 11, someone called DFCS after Ty’Asia arrived at her day
care center with bruises on her face that looked like thumbprints. The
social worker was told that Ty’Asia looked as though she had lost 3 to 4
pounds in one week.

When Ty’Asia’s family was questioned about the bruising, another
child in the home confessed to pinching Ty’Asia’s face, according to the
DFCS file. The case was closed for lack of any significant evidence of
maltreatment.

Ty’Asia’s grandmother sent her to stay with her father, Willie C.
Jones, on Feb. 26 – the first time the girl had lived with him – because
she was going to have surgery, according to statements made in court
during Jones’ bond hearing last month. Ty’Asia’s mother was not stable
enough to be responsible for the child, and there wasn’t anyone else to
keep her, the DFCS file states.

Jones’ family also wanted to establish a relationship with Ty’Asia,
and her maternal grandmother believed other adult family members were
living with Jones.

Someone from the maternal side of the family called and spoke to
Ty’Asia regularly, the DFCS file states. Asked whether she was eating
and having fun, the child said yes.

Her grandmother intended to retrieve Ty’Asia the week of March 11.

According to Jones, the girl played outside with her cousins all day
March 11, breaking only for pizza and a drink. After coming inside
around 6 p.m., Jones said, Ty’Asia collapsed on the floor, unable to
breathe. When splashing cold water on her didn’t work, Jones called
relatives in a panic, the DFCS file says.

Jones told a DFCS worker that someone else had abused Ty’Asia. He
disciplined her only by twice making her stand in a corner, the file
stated. Jones blamed the maternal side of Ty’Asia’s family and accused
them of abandoning her.

Three children told investigators, however, that Ty’Asia’s father
beat her that day with a belt until it broke, then used a curtain rod
and a shoe. At some point, Ty’Asia was burned by a heater in the home.
The doctor who examined her believed all of the injuries were caused at
the same time.

Sheriff’s investigators said Jones later admitted to beating Ty’Asia. He has been charged with murder in her death.

At the time of Ty’Asia’s injuries, Jones was on probation for
aggravated assault and terroristic threats. According to the prosecution
file obtained by The Chronicle, Jones was off his psychiatric
medication and crazed with anger when he attacked an ex-girlfriend and
her friend, April Dunn and Willie Reid.

A district attorney file states that Jones and Dunn had a child
together. She told sheriff’s investigators that she left Jones because
he was physically abusive. She went to stay with Reid, an older friend
who had lost a leg.

Three times on Sept. 10, 2008, Jones went to Reid’s Wrights­boro Road
home and demanded Dunn return to him. At one point he yanked her out of
a vehicle and hit her in the mouth with his hand before grabbing one of
Reid’s crutches to hit her, it was reported.

“I come to kill you,” Reid quoted Jones as saying the third time he
came to the house. Jones was clutching a large butcher knife, and when
he pulled on the screen door, Reid fired a shotgun.

Investigators determined that Reid acted in self-defense. They charged Jones with kidnapping and aggravated assault.

On Feb. 26, 2009, Jones pleaded guilty to reduced charges of
aggravated assault and terroristic threats. Judge Michael N. Annis
sentenced him to five years’ probation under the First Offender Act.

The judge ordered Jones to obtain his GED, undergo drug and alcohol
counseling, receive mental health treatment and attend a domestic
violence prevention program. He also ordered Jones to perform 200 hours
of community service and to stay away from Dunn and Reid.

If Annis determines that Jones has violated those conditions, as his
probation officer contended in a warrant obtained March 13, he could
resentence Jones to as long as 27 years in prison.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2012-05-05/child-neglect-investigated-years-girls-death?v=1336255916