"Baby" LAWRENCE - 3 Months - North Canaan (NY/MA Border) CT

North Canaan CT ---- A North Canaan man accused of child abuse against his
three-month-old baby was ordered held on a total $200,000 bond after
appearing in court on Wednesday.
Dustin Lawrence, 19, 92 Main St., Apt. 1, was arrested Tuesday after an investigation into a Feb. 11
emergency visit Lawrence made to Sharon Hospital with his child.
Lawrence and his wife, Fawn Rosier, brought their baby in that day to
find out he had six distinct locations of injuries, including fractures
to his tibia, callus and ribs, court documents stated.
After the baby, who is now eight months old, was examined by Dr. Andrew Whyte, the
doctor alerted police and the Department of Children of Families.
He recommended the child be taken to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
for further treatment, since there was “evidence that some type of
abuse may have occurred concerning the victim,” the warrant stated.
On June 9, state police received a report from the medical center where
Dr. Nina Livingston told police there were over 22 fractures as well as
an arm fracture, court documents stated. The injuries posed a threat of
serious physical injury or death due to the “great amount of force
required to inflict those injuries.”
“Dr. Livingston classified the victim’s injuries as massive trauma,” police said.
Lawrence said he was changing the baby’s clothes when he noticed the baby’s arm
swelling. He did not specify how it may have happened, although Rosier
told police Lawrence made a comment as to whether the hospital would ask
him questions about “child abuse.”
Rosier told police she went to pick up her sister at school when
she came home to find the baby had spit up on his clothes.
When she tried to change the clothes the baby started to cry, which is when
she noticed the arm swelling, court documents stated.
Lawrence, however, claimed to police in an interview that he was changing the
baby’s clothes when he noticed the wound, although claimed he didn’t
know where it came from, court documents alleged.
“In summary, Lawrence could offer no explanation for the victim’s current or past
multiple injures as described by Dr. Whyte,” police said.
Rosier, however, told police she believed Lawrence broke the baby’s arm
because he has expressed anger in the past against her.
“(Trooper Scott Caroon) asked Rosier if she believed Dustin would harm the victim
and she replied that Dustin has been violent with her in the past when
he was angry,” the warrant stated. “(She) believes he would harm the
victim though she never witnessed him doing so.”
Rosier is not a suspect in the case. State police in North Canaan confirmed there is no warrant for her arrest.
Lawrence was arrested Tuesday on charges of first-degree assault, cruelty to
persons and risk of injury to a minor, as well as violating a condition of his release.
The last charge stems from Lawrence allegedly assaulting a disabled person on March 28 in Sheffield, Mass., which he
was also arrested for.
Lawrence has an arrest record. He was sentenced on charges of assault and assault with a dangerous weapon last
year, and has pending matters still in the Litchfield jurisdiction.
He also has a criminal history of arrests for prior assaults, court documents stated.
During an appearance in Bantam Superior Court Judge Corinne L. Klatt ordered a
protective order placed against the baby, barring Lawrence from having any contact.
The cases were transferred to Litchfield Superior Court for an Aug. 3 appearance.

Teenager Dustin Lawrence, awaiting prosecution on charges he beat his
infant son nearly to death in February, was sentenced in Superior Court
here Tuesday to six months in prison on an unrelated assault charge.

The
19-year-old Canaan man was convicted of second-degree assault in
connection with an altercation with a young man who entered his home May
31, 2009, at 92 Main St. in Canaan.

He faces up to 20 years in
prison on first degree assault charges for a more serious assault since
then. Police said he beat his infant son nearly to death, breaking bones
in 22 places. The child was examined at Sharon Hospital, and later at
Childrens' Medical Center where the injuries were described as life
threatening.