Father pleads guilty to injuring infant son

10/16/2012

A teenage father charged with injuring his then 4-month-old son entered a plea in Lucas County Common Pleas Court Monday to a charge of attempted child endangering.

Jesus Rivera, 18, entered an Alford plea to the charge and faces up to three years in prison when sentenced by Judge Ruth Ann Franks on Nov. 19. The charge was lowered from child endangering, a second-degree felony, with the consent of the baby’s family and the investigation officers.

In an Alford plea, the defendant maintains his innocence or does not admit he committed a crime, but acknowledges evidence is sufficient for a conviction. The court treats it as a guilty plea.

Assistant County Prosecutor Jennifer Donovan saidRivera went to check on the baby at about 3 a.m. June 10 when he began crying. She said Rivera “grabbed him in such a way that a loud scream was elicited” from the infant.

The baby’s 17-year-old mother and grandmother then attempted to calm the child and saw that something appeared wrong with his leg.

After taking the baby to the hospital, it was discovered that the child suffereda spiral fracture in his right femur.

Doctors saidthe injury could not have been the result of an accident but rather by someone “grabbing or twisting” the leg, Ms. Donovan said.

The baby showed no other prior signs of abuse.