CASEY TOM - 6 months - / Convicted: Father Lawrence V Tom Jr - Seattle, WA

Dad who crushed daughter's skull: I killed a ‘beautiful and smart baby’


Bellingham father to 8-year prison term in infant daughter’s death

Wednesday, March 27, 2013



A Bellingham-area man convicted of crushing his infant daughter’s
skull was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in federal prison.

Having pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, Lawrence V. Tom,
Jr., admitted to killing Casey Tom after the 6-month-old refused to
stop crying.

Federal prosecutors initially charged Tom, 23, with second-degree
murder. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in November, and has
since apologized for his actions.

In a letter to the court, Tom described his daughter as a bright little girl who was already talking when he killed her.

“Casey was such a beautiful and smart baby,” Tom said in his letter
to the court. “I often think and have dreams of how smart she could’ve
been. I regret taking that away from her and my family.”

Tom crushed the girl’s skull three days before he called for
paramedics on to say Casey wasn’t breathing. Paramedics arrived at his
home in the 3200 block of Balach Road and rushed the girl to a nearby
hospital, where it was determined her skull had been fractured. She died
just before noon on May 13.

Writing the court, an FBI special agent investigating the case said
he went to the home and spoke with Tom, who initially claimed the girl
hit her head accidentally on several occasions in recent weeks.

An autopsy showed she died of non-accidental head injuries, calling
into question Tom’s version of events. The agent again interviewed Tom,
when he allegedly to killing his daughter.

“(Casey) had been crying, and Tom squeezed (her) head between his
right bicep and forearm until he heard it make a popping noise,” the
special agent told the court. “Tom said he was ‘frustrated’ because he
was tired and (Casey) would not stop crying, and claimed he did not know
that he hurt her as badly as he did.”

Tom, an enrolled member of the Lummi Nation, was sentenced to eight
years in prison Wednesday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Marsha
Pechman. The case was prosecuted in U.S. District Court because the
killing occurred on tribal lands.

Writing the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Tate London described
Casey’s death as “horrific” and noted the girl suffered for days before
her father called for help.

For his part, Tom faulted himself for failing to stay sober and for the pain he has caused those around him.

“There’s not a day that passes when I don’t think of Casey,” Tom said
in a letter to the court. “I wish I could take back the day I hurt
my daughter.”

Tom remained jailed prior to Wednesday’s hearing. He is expected to
be transferred to a Bureau of Prisons facility in coming weeks.

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http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Dad-who-crushed-daughter-s-skull-I-killed-a-4388814.php#ixzz2OxpH23Kg

I just don't understand the many judges who don't consider the life of a baby or child to have the worth of that of an adult. Actually, they should get stiffer sentences for murdering children, not lesser sentences.

Not only did he beat her to death, he let her suffer for 3 days without medical attention.

Where was her mother? Why wasn't she charged? She obviously knew the poor baby had been beaten.

This sentence is disgusting.

The murder and sentence both make me sick to my stomach.

YES THE SENTENCING SHOULD BE FOR LIFE. THEY MAKE NO MENTION OF THE MOTHER AGAIN. I GATHER THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS IN PLEA BARGAINS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING. MOM IS OUT THERE TO REPRODUCE AND I DON'T GET WHY THEY DONT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER. THEY NEED TO GO AFTER THESE MOTHERS THAT AREN'T EVEN MENTIONED. JUST BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THERE DOESNT MEAN THEYRE NOT RESPONSIBLE INDIRECTLY. MOTHERS NAMES NEED TO BE PUBLIC AS WELL.

THE PHANTOM MOTHER. SHE IS BEING PROTECTED AND PROBABLY HAS A POSITION POSSIBLY WORKING WITH CHILDREN WHILE HER CHILD WAS BEING MURDERED BY THE ONE SHE LEFT HER BABY WITH. HER NAME IS NOT MENTIONED IS IT. SHE WILL REMAIN UNRESPONSIBLE AS ALL THE OTHER IDIOTS ARE. SHOULD THIS BABY HAVE HER ORGANS DONATED TO "SAVE" OTHER BABIES. WOULD THE MOTHER BE A HERO FOR DOING THIS WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. JUST MY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.

Another POS mother. Another POS man. Another dead baby.