Page 19 - DemoFlorida Sentinel 8-7-18

CrimeCouple Charged In Death Of 2-Year-Old
Rapper Charged
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a couple and charged them in connec- tion with the death of a 2-year- old. The child died on Wednesday.
According to police, Ms. Shannon Short and her boyfriend, Christian Thompson, both 26, were charged with the death of Harley Don Hiatt, Jr.
Thompson, who is not the child’s biological father, was charged with first-degree mur- der; aggravated manslaughter of a child; aggravated child abuse; negligent child abuse with great bodily harm; pos- session of marijuana; and pos- session of paraphernalia.
Ms. Short was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child; negligent child abuse with great bodily harm; child abuse; failure to report child abuse; possession of mari- juana; and possession of para- phernalia.
Court documents stated that around 3:01 a.m., on July 31st, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an unresponsive child. The child was transported to Heart of Florida Hospital, where med- ical staff determined he was bleeding on the brain. He died at 6:55 a.m.
Police said visible bruising was observed on his face, he had a rash on his left arm and leg.
Ms. Short told police the child received the bruises when she left him in Thompson’s care while she went to work in Kissimmee. She further said the child had suffered several injuries during the past two months while in Thompson’s care.
Thompson had report- edly texted her after the in-
Run Accident
SHANNON SHORT
juries occurred, stating he had disciplined the child with a belt. The various injuries in- cluded facial bruising, an in- jury to his penis, and a through and through wound to his bot- tom lip.
On July 23rd, Ms. Short called 9-1-1 and had the child transported to the hospital be- cause he had not opened his eyes for two days. She then texted Thompson that she thought officials were going to call CPS on her.
On July 27th, Thompson sent Ms. Short a test of the baby’s face saying he had scratched himself.
Ms. Short said for the next two days, the baby was not acting like himself and was clinging to her.
On July 30th, Ms. Short said she left the baby with Thompson while she went to the store and attempted to buy some weed.
When she arrived home, she allegedly found the baby lying on the floor and he had been vomiting. She reportedly put him to bed. She alleges she was afraid to seek medical help because she was afraid D.C.F. would be called.
Later that evening, she re- portedly gave the child some ibuprofen and antibiotics and
CHRISTIAN THOMPSON
left him with Thompson while she went to purchase marijuana from a friend’s house.
Ms. Short told police she returned home around 9:30 p.m., and found the baby moaning, holding his stomach, and kicking his legs. He was dry heaving, she said.
She gave him more medi- cine then laid him down so she and Thompson could go in the living room and smoke marijuana.
Around 3 a.m., she found the baby’s eyes were rolled in the back of his head and he had become limp and unrespon- sive. At that time, she called 9- 1-1.
Officials said the cause of death was blunt force trauma and the manner of death was ruled a murder.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, “When you hear what this precious baby boy was put through, it’s sick- ening. His mother knew about the abuse, allowed it, and con- tinued to leave him in the care of the abuser. She and her boyfriend even joked about it. The whole thing is heartbreaking, and I don’t think it’s possible for me to be more disgusted by their ac- tions.”
A 20-year-old man surren- dered to police last week. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving a death. The accident took place early Thursday.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Corey Wesley Jones, of Lakeland, was the driver of the first vehi- cle that struck Ms. Kelli Marie Black, of Polk City, around d 2:20 a.m. She was riding a black scooter north- bound on Galloway Road near Kathleen Road.
The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Jones, fled the scene. She was struck by a 2002 GMC SUV. Ms. Black was injured after the crash.
As Ms. Black lay injured, 20-year-old P.F.C. Kalen Lawson, of Ft. Hood, Texas, an active duty member of the U. S. Army, attempted to ren- der assistance to her. At that point, Ms. Black and PFC Lawson were both struck by a F-150 Ford pick-up truck that also fled the scene.
Ms. Black died at the scene as a result of her injuries. PFC Lawson was transported
COREY WESLEY JONES A.K.A. DB da KID
to a Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with serious in- juries to his leg. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Markell M. Grant, 20, of Lakeland, was also assisting Ms. Black. He was not in- jured, police said.
Later on Thursday after- noon, Jones surrendered to police.
The driver of the second ve- hicle remains at large. Anyone with any information pertain- ing to the accident is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477), or visit www.heartlandcrimestop- pers.com.
In Fatal Hit And
Three Facing Armed Robbery Charges
Law en-
forcement ar-
rested three
people in con-
nection with
an armed rob-
bery. The inci-
dent took
place early
Thursday JAVON JOHN JIENNA
Man Gets 15 Years For Possession Of A Firearm
morning at an SCOTT apartment complex.
According to police, the robbery took place at the Tamarind Apartments shortly before 3 a.m. St. Petersburg Police officers then followed the suspects across the Howard Franklin Bridge to the area of Kennedy Blvd., and Westshore. At some point, the suspects crashed the vehicle and ran.
Tampa Police and St. Pe- tersburg Police located the suspects and took them into custody.
ELLIS WILLIAMS
Javon Scott, 25, John Ellis, 27, and Ms. Jennie (Jienna) Williams, 28, were all charged with armed robbery by the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Scott was charged with carrying a concealed weapon; Ellis is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and violation of pro- bation; and Ms. Williams is charged with aggravated bat- tery with a motor vehicle by the Tampa Police Depart- ment.
A 34-year-old Tampa man was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week. He pleaded guilty to the charges filed against him on April 25, 2018.
U. S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday handed down the sentence Ja- maar Danglo Hayes for possessing a firearm as a con- victed felon. The court also or- dered him to forfeit the firearm.
According to court docu-
JAMAAR DANGLO HAYES
ments, in October 2017,
Hayes drove to an apartment complex located on Sligh Av- enue, in Tampa while in pos- session of a .38 caliber revolver. Several people at the apartment complex saw Hayes with the firearm and called 911.
The responding officers lo- cated Hayes and the revolver. Hayes, a previously convicted felon, is prohibited from pos- sessing a firearm or ammuni- tion under federal law.
UNCLE SANDY
If you don't like something, 4, 6, 8, 12 change it. 13, 14 17, 19 If you can't change it, 32, 36, 39, 41 change your attitude. 11, 43, 48, 52.
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