CHRISTIAN LOVE - 2 yo/ Accused: Mother-Candace Mitchell - Tampa FL

A Tampa mother accused of waiting nearly five hours to get
medical attention for her toddler after he was knocked unconscious makes
her First Appearance in a Hillsborough County courtroom today.

Candace Mitchell, 24, was arrested Sunday night and charged with
aggravated child abuse. Her son, 2-year-old Christian Love, remains
hospitalized with blunt force trauma injuries to his head and about 20
percent brain function.


According to Tampa police, Mitchell said she left Christian with her
boyfriend for about 20 minutes over the weekend and the child fell of a
couch. Police say Mitchell admitted she didn't take the child to the
hospital right away because she was concerned about a previous child
abuse investigation.

The child's father, Messiah Love, said he doesn't believe Mitchell's
explanation. He said he notified a Department of Children and Familes
caseworker last week about abuse concerns when he noticed bruises on his
son and nothing was done.

"I told (the caseworker) I don’t want to have to give him back
because, next time I see him, he might be hurt or dead," Love said. "A
week later, I’m in a hospital."

Christian's prognosis is grim, his aunt said Monday.

“They say within the next 24-hours they don’t believe he’s going to make it," Shatirah Love said. "He’s getting worse."
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2012/5/29/mom_accused_of_not_g.html

Tampa police: Mom doesn't seek care for unconscious toddler for hours

By Michael Finch II, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Tuesday, May 29, 2012

TAMPA — A Tampa woman faces a charge of aggravated child abuse after, police say, she did not seek medical care for her unconscious toddler for five hours.

Candace Mitchell, 24, of Tampa left her 2-year-old son with her boyfriend for 20 minutes about 5:30 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest affidavit. Upon returning to her home at 5502 N 43rd St., Mitchell found the child unconscious, the report shows.

Her boyfriend told her that the boy fell, the report said. But Mitchell did not seek medical aid for hours, although the child hadn't regained consciousness. He was in critical condition as of late Monday.

Mitchell eventually carried the toddler to Tampa General Hospital, where she was questioned about the nature of the boy's injuries. She told doctors that the child had fallen, the report said.

Suspicious of the assertion, a doctor called police. After questioning Mitchell, police discovered that she had delayed reporting the injuries because of an active child abuse investigation, the report said.

Police arrested Mitchell on a charge of aggravated child abuse, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. She was being held Monday without bail in the Hillsborough County Jail.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1232423.ece

Tampa woman accused of leaving injured 2-year-old untreated for hours ordered held on $50,000 bail

By Michael Finch II, Times Staff Writer
Posted: May 29, 2012 11:21 AM

TAMPA — The front sign of Silver Oaks apartments declares the complex "a northeast neighborhood community."

Some Silver Oaks residents say 2-year-old Christian Love and his mother Candace Mitchell, 24, never got to see much of it.

"The only time you see her is coming and going," said Courtney Martin, 23, a neighbor in the apartment building. "She didn't say much to anybody around here. She looked happy."

Now the neighbor many seldom saw is entangled in charges of aggravated child abuse while her son continues to undergo treatment at Tampa General Hospital. The boy remained unconscious and in critical condition Tuesday, police said. He has been hospitalized since Friday.

Mitchell, accused of being responsible for the toddler's injuries, was ordered held on $50,000 bail Tuesday morning.

Mitchell told police that her son was in the care of her boyfriend when the toddler was injured. She waited five hours before seeking medical treatment, police said.

Messiah Love, Christian's father, said that during a hearing on Tuesday the Department of Children and Families granted him full custody of the toddler. If the child is unresponsive for 48 hours, doctors will declare him brain dead, Love said.

The boy's injuries appeared to be the result of blunt force trauma to the head, Love said. It looked as if "he was either forced into something or fell on something."

Mitchell was arrested Sunday, records show.

When Mitchell took her son to the hospital, she told doctors the child had fallen. The doctors became suspicious and alerted authorities.

Tampa Police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor said Tuesday that Mitchell's boyfriend has not been charged in this case. The incident remains under investigation.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/tampa-woman-accused-of-leaving-injured-2-year-old-untreated-for-hours/1232531

A toddler whose mother is accused of waiting hours to get help even though the boy was unconscious died Wednesday morning. The 2-year-old, Christian Love, was pronounced dead at 11:21 a.m. at Tampa General Hospital. Family members say they will donate some of the boy's organs.

Christian had been hospitalized since Friday when, Tampa police say, his mother sought medical care for him after waiting about five hours.

On Sunday, police arrested Candace Mitchell, 24, of Tampa on an aggravated child abuse charge. She remained held in jail Wednesday on $50,000 bail.

Investigators said she told them that she had left Christian in the care of her boyfriend, who is not the boy's father. She said that the boyfriend told her that the toddler had fallen. Officers said she then delayed getting help for the boy because she feared a child abuse investigation.

Skeptical of Mitchell's version of how the toddler suffered his injuries, the hospital called authorities.

On Wednesday, Tampa police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor said the department is now investigating the case as a homicide. There were no additional charges in the case, she said, and it could be some time before the investigation concludes.

The child's father, Messiah Love, 23, is questioning what happened to his son.

"It's just a tragic thing," Love said Wednesday.

The night before, family members said that the child's condition was grim and he was 80 percent brain dead.

"Machines are helping him breathe — helping him do everything," his aunt, 26-year-old Shatirah Love-Paul, said then.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/tampa-toddler-at-center-of-child-abuse-investigation-dies/1232803