Roanoke Memorial staff said the child had retinal hemorrhaging, which is commonly associated with “Shaken Baby Syndrome”
SALEM, VA – Newly released search warrants detail moments leading up to the death of a 3-month-old child in Salem.
Salem police have charged the father, Jwawn Lamont James Sr., 41, with abuse and neglect of a child, and aggravated malicious wounding.
According to court documents, on Wednesday, Nov. 18 Salem Fire & Rescue along with officers from the Salem Police Department responded to 1016 Homestead Dr. in Salem in reference to an unresponsive child.
Upon arrival, police interviewed the child’s father, James, to determine the circumstances that led to the child’s state.
James advised to police as he was carrying his daughter into the home he tripped at the front door and dropped the car seat/carrier.
James indicated she was not strapped in, which caused his daughter to fall out of the car seat/carrier and on to her face and head.
James said he then picked up the child, checked to make sure she was OK, and placed her into the bassinet while he took a shower. James told police that after getting out of the shower, he found his daughter unresponsive and called 911. James said he proceeded to shake his daughter due to her being unresponsive.
The 3-month-old was transported to Roanoke Memorial for treatment.
At the hospital, detectives spoke with hospital staff regarding the child’s condition. Roanoke Memorial staff said the child had retinal hemorrhaging, which is commonly associated with “Shaken Baby Syndrome”, a collapsed lung, and head trauma.
Roanoke Memorial Hospital staff advised the child’s injuries were not consistent with the manner in which James provided that they occurred, and more likely the result of child abuse.
As a result, detectives requested to search James’ residence for any evidence related to abuse.
Things searched for:
Any and all seats, swings, and/or bassinets that the child may have been placed-in to include the padding and bedding commonly associated with these items
Any and all documents related to the care of the child such as hospital and/or doctor records
Any and all throw-rugs and/or mats located in the entry way of the residence
Any and all medications appropriate to be administered to a 3 month old child
Any and all pacifiers and/or other soothing devices
Any and all devices such as bottles or spoons used to feed a 3 month old child
Resident searched: 1016 Homestead Drive in Salem – single story ranch style home
Also, detectives have seized three cell phones – a Samsung Galaxy, Kyocera, and Motorola Droid – for the search and forensic analysis of the electronic devices and storage media for digital/text pictures, call logs, SMS messages, contact and videos.
We have a serious problem in our country, and it begins and ends in the job place.
I’m going to give you the solution to our problem before I tell you how Our Children and Families are paying the price:
All Child Maltreatment calls are answered and investigated by Local Law Enforcement
Washington monitors State CPS Offices very closely
Our Children and Families are paying the price
Everytime a problem arises at one of our State CPS Offices, we hear one stock answer: “We need more money and more help”.
The taxpayer is taxed enough already. Millions of Dollars are being wasted and mismanaged already. Here are just a few examples of how our tax dollars are being spent:
6,000 uninvestigated Child Abuse case files are thrown in a dumpster by CPS employees.
A major part of required paperwork is not filled out correctly, or not done at all.
CPS answering machines mysteriously erase all Child Abuse calls.
CPS employees file “manufactured” evidence with the court system.
CPS employees file erroneous Child Abuse reports during off hours against people they do not like.
A federal commission to prevent children’s deaths from abuse and neglect held its first meeting on Monday. Figuring out the extent of the problem is just one challenge facing the new commission.
(CT – Commission talking) About 1700 children die in the U.S. each year as the result of abuse and neglect. At least that’s the official count.
Many experts think the real number is much higher.
“DEATHS AT THE HANDS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS”????
(CT) The stories are usually too horrific for people to think about; children beaten, stabbed, abused to death often at the hands of family or friends. And often in families that have already raised red flags with authorities.
HEAD OF “EVERY CHILD MATTERS” GIVES SUGGESTION
Michael Petit, who heads an advocacy group called Every Child Matters, says one problem is that the cause of death is often in dispute.
And I think knowing what those three or 4,000 deaths are is going to be important to us, in terms of what’s the cause of death, who is that’s doing the crime, and so forth, right?
FORMER CHILD WELFARE OFFICIAL CHAIRS THE COMMISSION????
(CT) But panel members say there is a lot that is known about such deaths, such as their prevalence in households with a history of domestic violence or drug abuse.
(CT) Others have been down this road before and we’ve still got child deaths. I think we’re idealistic to think that we’re going to stop all child deaths.
(CT) The panel could make some progress reducing them. It has two years to complete its work. ∗∗∗∗(3 months left)
Child Abuse And Neglect Laws Aren’t Being Enforced, Report Finds January 27, 2015
The numbers are grim. Almost 680,000 children in the United States were the victims of abuse and neglect in 2013. More than 1,500 of them died.
FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY NUMBERS ARE LOWER????
Federal officials say they’re encouraged that the numbers are lower than they were in 2012. But children’s advocates say abuse is so often not reported that it’s impossible to know if there’s really been a decline.
DATA IS FLAWED
“This is just something that’s chronically underreported,” says Elisa Weichel, a staff attorney with the Children’s Advocacy Institute, which published the report Tuesday.
She says abuse and neglect cases — especially those resulting in death — are often not disclosed as required by law. That lack of information has led to other problems in the system.
“It all boils down to having the right amount of data about what’s working and what’s not,” Weichel says. “And when your data is flawed, every other part of your system is going to be flawed.”
NOT ONE STATE MEETS MINIMUM CHILD WELFARE STANDARDS
Her group has found plenty of flaws. The institute conducted a three-year study and found that not one state has met all of the minimum child welfare standards set by the federal government.
LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE
“Whether or not individual states can meet a reporting standard to us is not where the emphasis ought to be,” says Ron Smith, director of legislative affairs for the American Public Human Services Association, which represents child welfare administrators.
“It needs to be on making sure that the kids who need assistance are getting assistance, and the families that need assistance are getting the assistance,” he says.
Smith says state and local officials complain that they spend too much time filling out federal forms and trying to meet requirements that aren’t necessarily best for kids.
Instead, he says, they want flexibility on how to spend federal funds so they can focus more on keeping families together.
∗Just in case someone wants to look at this report or download it:
CAI Holds Congressional Briefing to Unveil New Report: SHAME on U.S. Failings by All Three Branches of Our Federal Government Leave Abused and Neglected Children Vulnerable to Further Harm January 27, 2015
My Brother's Keeper 