Baby's death ruled homicide-Father given custody of child on life support

unhappygrammy-Is this what DCYF and the NH courts are waiting for? To return my grandchildren on life support or even dead? This is totally sick!

Baby's death ruled homicide
By Michael Abramowitz
The Daily Reflector
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The death of a 5-month-old Greenville boy was found to be homicide Wednesday by the Pitt County Medical Examiner.
Dakota Chase Etheridge, born Jan. 10, died from a non-accidental head trauma, ruled as a homicide, said Colleen Cheterton of the medical examiner’s office.
Sandy Kay Etheridge, 27, the child’s mother, is expected to be charged in the death early next week, Chief Investigator James Tripp of the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office said.
“A grand jury will convene Monday. If they return a bill of indictment, the mother will be charged with murder,” Tripp said.
The child was taken off life support Sunday at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Tripp said, six weeks after being placed in intensive care with severe bleeding in his brain, ruptured retinas and a fractured left leg.
The decision to remove the child from life support was made by his father after he was given custody in a closed court proceeding before Judge Galen Braddy. The proceeding included officials with the county Department of Social Services, law enforcement officers, a guardian ad litem and legal representatives for the mother, Tripp said.
The infant died in the arms of his maternal grandmother Cynthia Burchett, said Jennipher Dickens, a family member. Burchett had been shut out of legal proceedings by the court and temporarily banned from her grandson’s hospital room, she said.
Dickens’ child survived a similar incident at her ex-husband’s hands, she said. She was surprised to see it happen again in her family.
“It was a shock to find that this tragedy had happened in my family, despite knowing that the same thing happened to my baby,” Dickens said. “It’s disheartening and has devastated the whole family, particularly under these circumstances. I hope that justice will be served for Dakota.”
State statutes prevent courts and social services from sharing information publicly about cases in which a juvenile is taken into protective custody, so Braddy and DSS Director George Perry gave no reasons for preventing Burchett from visiting the baby or being informed of medical decisions.

Contact Michael Abramowitz at mabramowitz@reflector.com or (252) 329-9571.

http://www.reflector.com/news/babys-death-ruled-homicide-37822