ianstone
09-05-2010, 03:29 PM
Abused toddler dies after spending 2 years in hospital
September 5, 2010 2:24 PM | 4 Comments (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/officials-boy-dies-2-years-after-abuse.html#comments) | UPDATED STORY
A 2-year-old boy who had been so severely abused just months after he was born that he was hospitalized since August 2008 died Saturday apparently from those injuries, officials said.
An autopsy conducted today on the body of Alexander Pearson by the Cook County medical examiner's office was inconclusive. The final determination of the boy's cause and manner of death, was "pending further studies," officials said.
The child, who was born on May 15, 2008, was pronounced dead at 7:20 a.m. at Ingalls Memorial Hospital, officials said.
While the autopsy was inconclusive, officials from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services believe that the boy died from the abuse he sustained earlier, said Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the agency.
Alexander had been living at the Children's Habilitation Center, 121 W. 154th St. in Harvey (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/neighborhoods.html?region=1396284), officials said. The facility is a long-term care hospital for infants and children, according to its Web site.
In August of 2008, the boy's father, Alexander Pearson Sr., 23, of the 100 block of West 110th Street, was charged with aggravated battery of a child, attempted murder with intent to kill and aggravated domestic battery in the case.
According to a 2008 Chicago (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/neighborhoods.html?region=3275031) Tribune story, prosecutors said Pearson repeatedly shook the boy between June 24 and Aug. 17. They alleged that the incident caused multiple fractures to the boy's arms and ribs, and blunt trauma to his head.
Prosecutors said Pearson gave police a statement admitting he shook the child. The boy was on a respirator as of 2008 and at the time officials did not believe the boy would survive.
Pearson has been in custody at Cook County Jail in lieu of $2 million since his arrest and has a Sept. 23 court hearing, according to court records. Prosecutors could not say today whether the man would face additional charges now that the boy has died.
Marlowe said that DFCS officials took custody of the boy on Aug. 17, 2008, after they determined the boy had sustained injuries from being shaken.
"This child had been so severely injured that [he] had been in that placement ever since, and just now died from the long-term effects of those injuries," Marlowe said.
Marlowe said that while a DCFS investigation at the time concluded both the boy's mother and father had been responsible for the abuse, the boy's father confessed to shaking the infant. The mother was not charged, according to court records.
-- Carlos Sadovi (csadovi@tribune.com)
September 5, 2010 2:24 PM | 4 Comments (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/officials-boy-dies-2-years-after-abuse.html#comments) | UPDATED STORY
A 2-year-old boy who had been so severely abused just months after he was born that he was hospitalized since August 2008 died Saturday apparently from those injuries, officials said.
An autopsy conducted today on the body of Alexander Pearson by the Cook County medical examiner's office was inconclusive. The final determination of the boy's cause and manner of death, was "pending further studies," officials said.
The child, who was born on May 15, 2008, was pronounced dead at 7:20 a.m. at Ingalls Memorial Hospital, officials said.
While the autopsy was inconclusive, officials from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services believe that the boy died from the abuse he sustained earlier, said Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the agency.
Alexander had been living at the Children's Habilitation Center, 121 W. 154th St. in Harvey (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/neighborhoods.html?region=1396284), officials said. The facility is a long-term care hospital for infants and children, according to its Web site.
In August of 2008, the boy's father, Alexander Pearson Sr., 23, of the 100 block of West 110th Street, was charged with aggravated battery of a child, attempted murder with intent to kill and aggravated domestic battery in the case.
According to a 2008 Chicago (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/neighborhoods.html?region=3275031) Tribune story, prosecutors said Pearson repeatedly shook the boy between June 24 and Aug. 17. They alleged that the incident caused multiple fractures to the boy's arms and ribs, and blunt trauma to his head.
Prosecutors said Pearson gave police a statement admitting he shook the child. The boy was on a respirator as of 2008 and at the time officials did not believe the boy would survive.
Pearson has been in custody at Cook County Jail in lieu of $2 million since his arrest and has a Sept. 23 court hearing, according to court records. Prosecutors could not say today whether the man would face additional charges now that the boy has died.
Marlowe said that DFCS officials took custody of the boy on Aug. 17, 2008, after they determined the boy had sustained injuries from being shaken.
"This child had been so severely injured that [he] had been in that placement ever since, and just now died from the long-term effects of those injuries," Marlowe said.
Marlowe said that while a DCFS investigation at the time concluded both the boy's mother and father had been responsible for the abuse, the boy's father confessed to shaking the infant. The mother was not charged, according to court records.
-- Carlos Sadovi (csadovi@tribune.com)