Post by admin4laney on Oct 19, 2005 7:01:37 GMT -5
CINCINNATI -- A baby that was beaten and shaken until he was nearly lifeless is slowly recovering, though he'll never be the same, News 5's Juliette Vara reported.
Police said 19-year-old Terry Stiles beat 8-month-old Carl Leggett Jr. after the child started crying in the middle of the night.
Leggett was hospitalized for months, and he was left blind in one eye and with bruising up and down his legs from multiple IVs.
Leggett's grandmother, Shannon Jordan, said violence against infants in the Tri-State has her worried, and some mothers are't so lucky.
"There's been so many here lately, in these past couple months, these boys hitting these babies, killing these babies," she said. "These girls have to learn: They can't do that. Babies come first."
Jordan's daughter started dating Stiles shortly after Leggett was born.
"They get these new boyfriends, and they think these guys really care about them," Jordan said. "They don't. They're jealous of your baby."
Stiles is scheduled for pretrial Wednesday, but Leggett's trips to the Drake Center for treatment will be part of his routine for a long time.
"We come here three times a week," Jordan said.
Therapy is helping Leggett become able to hold up his own head for the first time, but at times he continues to struggle to breathe.
"He can't asperate anything in the lungs and can't throw anything up," Jordan said.
Leggett often coughs for up to five minutes, choking because he can't swallow. He also needs a feeding tube.
But despite his difficulties and all the extra attention he needs, Jordan said she was willing to quit her job to care for her grandson.
"We still love him," she said. "We love him with all our heart."
Donations to help with the child's medical expenses can be given at any U.S. Bank branch, under the name Carl Leggett Jr.
www.channelcincinnati.com/news/5118753/detail.html
Police said 19-year-old Terry Stiles beat 8-month-old Carl Leggett Jr. after the child started crying in the middle of the night.
Leggett was hospitalized for months, and he was left blind in one eye and with bruising up and down his legs from multiple IVs.
Leggett's grandmother, Shannon Jordan, said violence against infants in the Tri-State has her worried, and some mothers are't so lucky.
"There's been so many here lately, in these past couple months, these boys hitting these babies, killing these babies," she said. "These girls have to learn: They can't do that. Babies come first."
Jordan's daughter started dating Stiles shortly after Leggett was born.
"They get these new boyfriends, and they think these guys really care about them," Jordan said. "They don't. They're jealous of your baby."
Stiles is scheduled for pretrial Wednesday, but Leggett's trips to the Drake Center for treatment will be part of his routine for a long time.
"We come here three times a week," Jordan said.
Therapy is helping Leggett become able to hold up his own head for the first time, but at times he continues to struggle to breathe.
"He can't asperate anything in the lungs and can't throw anything up," Jordan said.
Leggett often coughs for up to five minutes, choking because he can't swallow. He also needs a feeding tube.
But despite his difficulties and all the extra attention he needs, Jordan said she was willing to quit her job to care for her grandson.
"We still love him," she said. "We love him with all our heart."
Donations to help with the child's medical expenses can be given at any U.S. Bank branch, under the name Carl Leggett Jr.
www.channelcincinnati.com/news/5118753/detail.html