COMER WATKINS - 3 yo (2010)/ Convicted: Mother's BF; Levi Edward Hiatt - Chicago IL

A man charged with neglect of a dependent in the death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old son in Griffith appeared in court Friday with his attorney.

Levi Edward Hiatt, 26, of the 200 block of West 7th Place, pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of neglect of a dependent while represented by defense attorney James Thiros.

The most serious of the felonies carries a maximum 50-year sentence.

Hiatt posted $10,000 bond in the case on April 15 after he was charged in the death of Comer Watkins. The Cook County, Ill., medical examiner's office ruled Comer's death a homicide.

Authorities said the toddler lay unconscious in an apartment shared by Hiatt and the boy's mother in the 1700 block of North Argobast Street for 19 hours before the mother came home.

The boy died April 13 from head trauma due to child abuse.

Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter said additional charges could be filed against Hiatt, but no decision had been made Friday afternoon.

Hiatt had been left to care for the boy while the child's mother was at work.

Stephanie Smith's last words to her 3-year-old son were "I love you.
I'll be back soon."
She then kissed her little boy's forehead and left for work at Best
Buy in Highland.
When she returned home late that night, Smith peeked on her sleeping
son. She patted his butt and smelled the familiar lavender lotion on his
tiny body. All seemed fine, so she went to bed.



She had to leave for work again the next morning and when she did,
she again peeked on her sleeping son, Comer Watkins V. Again, all seemed
fine, she thought.

"He was a very sound sleeper so I figured he was just more tired than
usual," explained Smith, 22, who was living in the Mansards apartment
complex in Griffith last month.

But all wasn't fine with little Comer. While Smith was at work, she
left her son with her boyfriend, 26-year-old Levi Edward Hiatt. A day
later, Comer was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Comer
Children's Hospital.

Smith will never know for sure exactly what happened to her boy under
Hiatt's care, but police say Comer died from abuse and neglect. He was
found unconscious from severe head and genital injuries, including
retinal hemorrhages, swelling and bleeding in the brain, acute traumatic
injury to the penis, and multiple bruises along the spinal column and
extremities.

Hiatt, who dated and lived with Smith, faces three counts of neglect
of a dependent. Yet, somehow, he is now out of jail on bond, and
possibly living back in Hobart, his hometown.

"Why would he do this to my baby boy?" asked Smith through sobs as
she wrapped herself in a blanket on the couch of her mother's Crown
Point home. "Comer was the sweetest little boy."

Smith's mother, Laura Graham, added, "He was our little angel."


'Gonna be all right'





Comer was ushered into this world
with love, high hopes and media fanfare as Lake County's first baby of
2007. He was rarely sick as a toddler, but he was picky about his food.


The bright-eyed boy could recite his ABCs and count to 20 by the age
of 2. His favorite movie was "Madagascar," and his favorite song was
"Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley.

"Don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing gonna be all
right," Comer would sing word for word to his mother, grandmother or
anyone who would listen.

Comer had a little game with his grandpa, James Graham, who would
often greet the boy by asking, "Where's my hug?" Comer would always
reply coyly, "It's in my pocket."

When Comer learned that everyone in his family had a job, he created
his own by working in a pretend castle and "beating up all the bad
guys."

His grandmother had hopes of him working as a train engineer someday,
since Thomas the Tank Engine was his favorite character. The two of
them also worked together by snapping fresh green beans in her kitchen
and pulling weeds in her lawn.

He also enjoyed building forts, riding his battery-powered Jeep,
talking a blue streak to anyone, and memorizing his mother's cell phone
number and his own birth date.

"He was our joy," Graham told me last week at her home. "We're trying
to understand why (Hiatt) would do something like this to such a sweet
boy."

'We'll never know for sure'





Smith and Hiatt met in high school and they had been dating for 10
months at the time of the incident that led to Comer's death.

In hindsight, the family is suspicious that Hiatt may have abused
Comer in previous baby-sitting situations, although the boy never said
anything.

"When I would ask about a bruise I saw, he would say he fell down or
something like that, but he would also look over at Levi," Graham said.
"We'll never know for sure."

Such second-guessing is haunting Smith, Graham, and other relatives
who are now waiting for a June 16 court hearing for Hiatt. They've been
told it will be continued, though, and a restraining order has been
placed against Hiatt, they said.

He hasn't contacted Smith, offered an explanation to the family or an
apology. But I'm not sure any words would be well-received, let alone
believed.

"He's already told different stories to police," Smith said.

At first, the family thought Comer fell into a diabetic coma. Only
later were they told about the alleged abuse, neglect and conflicting
explanations.

On the morning Hiatt watched Comer while Smith worked, he called her
at Best Buy to say he couldn't wake up the boy. Hiatt also called 911.


"He put on a good show for us," Smith said.

But not too good, Graham noted, saying he looked "guilty as hell."


'Close to our heart'





After 911 was called, an ambulance rushed Comer to Community Hospital
in Munster, then airlifted him the Chicago hospital, where authorities
determined his injuries were the result of severe physical abuse.

Comer's funeral was packed, including his biological father, Comer
Watkins IV, who hasn't been a part of his son's life. He and Smith broke
up before Comer's first birthday.

Smith's employer, Best Buy, has been very supportive, she said,
including donations by workers to help pay for Comer's funeral. The
Hobart VFW has also been there for the family after adopting Comer as
its unofficial mascot last year.

"They loved him," Graham said. "Everybody loved him."

Comer's family loved him so much they cremated his body and separated
his ashes into four tiny urns that now dangle on necklaces around the
necks of Smith, Graham, and his beloved aunties, Corey Zaverl and Rachel
King.

"Now, he will always be close to our hearts," Graham explained while
clutching her necklace and holding a photo of a smiling, giggling Comer.


Smith is taking it one step further by getting a tattoo of Comer's
handprint and footprint on her left arm, as well as the prayer card from
his funeral. It's in the works in purple ink, a complimentary gift from
the Crazy Cat Tat shop in Whiting.

But all the gifts, sympathy cards, and well wishes can't fill the
void in Smith's life these days. She's seeking something much deeper
than those gestures.

"I need to find another reason to live, and I don't know if I can do
it," she said quietly.

I wish that Stephanie and her parents had read this forum. Had they done so they would never have thought it was ok to leave 3 year old Comer with her boyfriend of 10 months. The earlier bruises were a BIG RED FLAG that they overlooked for some reason. I can guarantee that Comer would have also alerted his mother to a problem by how he reacted to her boyfriend. At the very least there would have been an obvious lack of affection between them I would imagine. The media need to get onto this problem. I want to see this problem highlighted in every paper, internet news site, Oprah and Dr Phil, Dr Oz etc etc.
I don't understand the lack of information out there about how risky it is. There's a FF epidemic going on out there and the media is silent.
And again, I have to point out that Stephanie was only 18 when she got pregnant. In so many instances the children are destined to a life of successive mommy's boyfriends and if the 1st or 2nd one doesn't abuse them the odds are high that the 3rd or 4th might.

Hobart man’s neglect charges upgraded to murder
May 31, 2011
Updated: June 7, 2011 1:40PM

A murder charge has been filed against a Hobart man already charged with neglect of a dependent in the death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.

Levi Edward Hiatt, 27, of the 200 block of West 7th Place, was immediately taken into custody on the murder charge filed in Lake Superior Court Tuesday. Hiatt had been free on a $10,000 bond posted the day after the original charges were filed in the death of Comer Watkins.

In Indiana, bail isn’t granted in murder cases unless there is a petition to let bail filed on Hiatt’s behalf.

Defense attorney James Thiros had filed a motion to continue Hiatt’s jury trial, which had been scheduled to begin June 6. Trial supervisor Angela Brown and deputy prosecutor Reginald Marcus objected to the delay, but Lake Superior Court Judge pro tem Susan Severtson granted the request.

Hiatt’s trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 26.
The new charge alleges that Hiatt knowingly or intentionally killed Watkins between April 11, 2010 and April 12, 2010. Hiatt has pleaded not guilty.

Court records indicate the child’s mother left her son with Hiatt at the apartment they shared at 1700 block of North Argobast Street, Griffith, while she was at work at about 4 p.m. April 11, 2010. She returned home sometime after midnight, then awoke at 10:30 a.m. April 12 and left for work at about 11:30 a.m. Her son was still sleeping when she left for work, which was not uncommon, the probable cause affidavit states.

The woman told police Hiatt called her at about 2 p.m. April 12 and told her the boy was unresponsive.

Hiatt told police different versions of what happened to Comer. He said he went to wake the child and jumped high in the air to land on his bed to awaken him, but misjudged his landing and landed his right knee into the boy’s genitals. The baby was crying and screaming, and Hiatt said he rushed him into the bathroom to check for injuries, sat him in front of the tub and told him to pull down his pants. When the boy continued to scream and cry, Hiatt said he became frustrated and panicked, so he grabbed the child’s lower legs and pulled him forward “with considerable force,” the probable cause affidavit states. The child fell backward and his head struck the bathtub.

The child was unconscious for more than 19 hours, court records indicate. The child died at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital from head trauma caused by child abuse.
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/5701828-418/hobart-mans-neglect-charges-upgraded-to-murder.html

Trial postponed in case of man accused of killing toddler
Post-Tribune Staff report October 24, 2011 1:34PM

The murder trial of a Hobart man charged in the death of his former girlfriend’s son has been postponed.

Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell granted the delay sought by defense attorney James Thiros, who hired forensic pathologist John Cavanaugh as a medical expert last week for the trial of Levi Edward Hiatt, which had been scheduled to start Monday.

Hiatt, 27, has pleaded not guilty to murder and neglect of a dependent in the death of Comer Watkins, 3, who authorities said died form a subdural hematoma from head trauma caused by child abuse.

On April 12, 2010, the Griffith boy was unresponsive when he was taken to Community Hospital in Munster. Court records indicate Hiatt told police he went into the boy’s bedroom at the Griffith apartment about 7 p.m. April 11, 2010, while the child’s mother was at work. Hiatt told police he jumped high into the air to land on the boy’s bed and awaken him but misjudged his landing and injured the boy’s genitals.

Hiatt said he took the child into the bathroom to check for injuries and told him to pull down his pants, but the child continued to scream and cry. Hiatt said he grew frustrated, grabbed the boy’s legs and pulled him forward, which made the boy hit his head on the bathtub as he fell backward, according to the probable cause affidavit. Little Comer lapsed into unconsciousness and remained there alone in his bedroom for 19 hours before Hiatt informed the boy’s mother of his condition, court records state.

Hiatt had been free on bond until prosecutors upgraded the charges May 31 to include murder. Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan denied a petition to allow bail in the case.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/8392799-418/trial-postponed-in-case-of-man-accused-of-killing-toddler.html

Another POS boyfriend murdering a baby. I agree Kiwi, I wish there were some way to convince mothers not to leave their children with boyfriends. But you know what....even if we got the word out, most won't listen. They have to go to work, run errands or something important and they trust inexperienced "boys" that aren't the father of the child. I hope this SOB goes to prison for a very long time. That poor baby laid there and sufferend for so long. He's the same age as my granddaughter and I cried reading about his games with his grandparents. I pray everyday that my children's marriages can withstand the turmoils of these days and times and our grandchildren grow up safe and happy.

Here are a few links to pictures of Comer. Such a sweet, happy little boy before he was murdered:

https://2img.net/h/i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/silvahalo68/Fallen%20angels/FallenAngels2/ComerCosmorWatkinsV.jpg

https://2img.net/h/i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff307/MadeaBecBec/Mugshots/Victims/ComerWatkinsVkilledbypenislevihiatt.jpg

Man accused of child’s murder takes plea as trial winds down

By Ruth Ann Krause Post-Tribune correspondent
October 3, 2012 2:23PM

As his jury trial was winding down, a Hobart man pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent in the death of his ex-girlfriend’s 3-year-old son in exchange for a 30-year prison sentence.

Levi Edward Hiatt, 28, admitted his actions caused injuries to Comer Watkins V and that he failed to seek medical attention for the boy, who lapsed into unconsciousness for 19 hours before an ambulance was called. Hiatt admitted that failing to get treatment for the child contributed to his death.

The plea agreement came after Lake Superior Court Judge pro tem Thomas Webber granted a defense request to dismiss a murder charge in the case. Murder is punishable by 45 to 65 years.

During questioning by defense attorney Larry Rogers, Hiatt said he was pleading guilty of his own free will. Hiatt told Webber, a senior judge from Porter County, that he has bipolar disorder but that his mental health issue did not interfere with his ability to understand the court proceedings.

Evidence presented in the trial, which began Sept. 24, showed little Comer suffered severe head and groin injuries, including a subdural hematoma — bleeding under the lining that surrounds the brain. Dr. Ponni Arunkumar of the Cook County (Ill.) Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide as a result of the subdural hematoma that was caused by blunt force trauma as a result of child abuse. Jurors saw photos of the boy’s body, which had bruises on his back, buttocks, arm and leg, as well as evidence of the extensive trauma to the top, side and back of his head.

In a second statement to police, Hiatt told police he accidentally injured the boy’s genitalia by jumping on the bed and landing with his knee in the child’s groin. When he was trying to look at the area in the bathroom, Comer was crying and wouldn’t pull down his pants, so Hiatt told police he grabbed him by his ankles and forcefully pulled his legs forward, causing the child’s head to fly back and strike the bathtub and the floor. Hiatt initially told police a different version of events.

The crime occurred between April 11, 2010 and April 12, 2010, while Comer’s mother, Stephanie Smith, was at work. Comer was transferred to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, where he died April 13, 2010.

Webber scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 20.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/15541078-418/man-accused-of-childs-murder-takes-plea-as-trial-winds-down.html

Hobart man gets 30 years in connection with toddler’s death

By Ruth Ann Krause Post-Tribune correspondent
November 20, 2012 4:54PM

Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell sentenced a Hobart man to 30 years in prison for neglect of a dependent in the death of his ex-girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.

Levi Edward Hiatt, 28, who pleaded guilty to the charge during his jury trial in the 2010 death of Comer Watkins V, made no statement in court and sat with his head down as the family of the toddler affectionately called Baby Comer described their loss, their dissatisfaction with the justice system and the horrific nature of the crime.

The child’s mother, Stephanie Smith, said she had many unanswered questions, as did his maternal grandmother, Laura Graham, who said there was “very little justice for Comer.”

Comer’s paternal grandmother, Lucy Watkins, told the judge, “A baby should not die by the hands of a man or woman, and only serve a few years.” Watkins urged a change in the law to make the sentence for that type of crime an automatic life without parole.

Deputy prosecutor Angela Brown told Boswell she wanted to stand before her to argue for a murder sentence of 45 to 65 years “because the state believes that is what Levi Hiatt deserves.”

Hiatt’s guilty plea came after judge pro tem Thomas Webber, a Porter Superior Court senior judge, granted defense attorney Larry Rogers’ motion for directed verdict of acquittal on the murder charge in the case on Oct. 3. The move stunned veteran courtroom observers, who said such a motion is rarely granted.

Hiatt admitted his actions caused injuries to Comer Watkins V and that he failed to seek medical attention for the boy, who lapsed into unconsciousness for 19 hours before an ambulance was called. Hiatt admitted that failing to get treatment for the child contributed to his death. The 30-year sentence was agreed to by prosecutors, Rogers and Hiatt, who has spent 541 days in the Lake County Jail.

“Baby Comer was brutally murdered and left to die,” Brown said, noting the child was unconscious but clinging to life after being severely injured on April 11, 2010. The baby was airlifted to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago and died April 13.

The energetic, lively toddler who knew all his colors and his ABCs and loved Bob Marley songs, suffered multiple head injuries — to the left side, back and top of his head — all of which could have caused the subdural hematomas that led to the child’s death. Baby Comer also had a large bruise to the back of his leg, which evidence at the trial indicated could have been caused by being stomped on, and a horrific groin injury. “The state believes the injury to the top of the head was to stop that baby’s crying,” Brown said.

Rogers noted his client had no prior criminal record. “I think Judge Webber did the right thing,” Rogers said.

Boswell said there are no winners in this case. “The defendant loses a significant portion of his freedom but Baby Comer lost his life,” she said.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/16518837-537/hobart-man-gets-30-years-in-connection-with-toddlers-death.html