Child Abuse Investigation Essay

On 4/5/17 at 1257 hrs, I was dispatched to an abuse investigation at 5250 98th Ter N. Upon my arrival, I made contact with investigator Katie Baxley from C.P.I.D She advised her agency had received a call regarding a 1-year-old having bruises on the left side of his face.

At this location, we were able to make contact with the victim’s mother, Jodie Williams, to begin our investigation. Jodie Williams advised this morning at 0630 hrs; she dropped her son Phillip Barrett Jr, at her sister's house to be taken care of while she goes to work. Around 0739 hrs, her sister Wendy Williams, sent Jodie a text message asking why Barrett bruises and scratches on his face. Jodie Williams advised at this time she responded, her oldest daughter Sophia hit him with a toy while they were playing,

but asked for more photos. When Wendy sent her pictures of Barrett Jr, she immediately left work and pick up her son and took him to the hospital. Jodie Williams advised a doctor stated the bruises might have been caused by a hand or a dog.
At this time C.P.I.D investigator Baxley asked to see Barrett Jr, to look at his bruises, when Jodie brought out Barrett. I observed bruises on the left side of his face, ear, and above his right eye. The bruises looked fresh, and they were purplish and reddish. I also observed several scratches going down across the left side of his face. I took four photographs of Barrett’s injuries and placed them into PCSO Property and Evidence.
I asked Jodie if her son had these bruises on his face when he arrived at her sister's house and she advised he did not. Jodie boyfriend Dylan Sims will say the same thing. Jodie Williams advised she thinks her sister’s dog may have caused the bruises and scratches on Barrett’s face.
I asked Jodie if her sister’s dog has ever bitten anyone or if she has ever had a problem with the dog and she advised no she has not. She only had to yell at him a couple of times to calm down. Jodie explained that her sister’s dog is a Golden Retriever.
During our investigation, CPID investigator Baxley advised that Jodie should take her son to CPT for a full body examination to determine if his bruises were from an adult hand or dog.

Jodie Williams stated she never had any issues with her sister watching her kids, but she does have anger management problems.

Jodie stated Wendy lives at 8272 59th Way N and her boyfriend David Foster was also home at that time.

At this time I asked Jodie if Barrett cries a lot and she advised yes, he is a crybaby when he doesn’t get carried around. Prior to her leaving I asked her who Barrett’s primary physician is and she stated St.Petesburg Pediatrics.

I made contact with Sims and asked him if he knew about the incident, he advised that he found out about the bruises on Barrett’s face when Jodie call him stating he needs to come to the house immediately. He also advised Barrett did not have any marks or bruises when he left the house this morning.

Sims and Jodie Williams left with Barrett at this time and went to CPT for a bodily examination to determine how Barrett obtained his bruises and scratches.

I relocated to 8272 59th Way N with CPID, to speak with Jodie and Foster regarding the

incident.
Upon arrival, we made contact with Wendy Williams at the front of the residence and relocated inside of her residence. Wendy began to explain how Jodie and Barrett arrived at her house around 0630 hrs, she watched Barrett for about 30 mins but had to focus on her daughter at 0700 hrs due to her being late for school. At this time she advised her boyfriend, David Foster started watching Barrett and her other son Nathan. She explained that Nathan, Barrett, and David went into his room which she was still able to view what they were doing, but then relocated to her daughter's room for a few minutes and was unable to see them. I asked Wendy Williams did she ever hear any of the kids crying or any suspicious noise, and she stated no. Wendy also advised that she noticed Barrett’s marks on his face around 0730 hrs when he was in the bathroom and thought it was dirt, so she tried wiping it off with a napkin and then noticed it was bruised and text Jodie regarding his face.
I asked Jodie if she thinks her dog at any time may have attacked Barrett and she advised no her dog has nothing anything to do regarding this incident.
CPID Investigator asked Wendy if she has any criminal history regarding children and Wendy advised in 1995 she was charged with aggravated child abuse and attempted murder of a child. Wendy started to explain how she gave her first daughter five pills of Tegretol because she wanted sometime away from her child, so she told her it was candy and gave it to her. She advised after her daughter consumed the pills she went into a coma and then came out of it. At this point Wendy stated she surrender all rights of custody with her daughter to the state and had a mental breakdown during that time.
I asked Wendy how does she discipline her kids and she advised she only puts them in timeout. CPID Investigator Baxley asked has the state ever been concerned with how she disciplines her children and she advised yes they have in the past.
After speaking with Wendy Williams, we made contact with David Foster regarding the incident. He explained that Jodi and Barrett arrived at the house around 0700 hrs, and he noticed a blemish on Barrett’s face but did not think anything of it, he thought it was dirt. I asked Foster was he watching the kids in separate rooms at any time and Foster stated no the children stay in the living room the whole time while he was babysitting Barrett.
Foster advised that this incident may have occurred at his house or Jodi Williams house, but he has no idea how Barrett got the bruises on his face. I asked him to describe how Barrett behave’s and he explained he is timid and quiet when he comes over.
Foster advised when he has to discipline his kids he believes in timeouts and verbal talks, he does not spank his kids. Foster advised he rarely gets mad at his children and Wendy can sometimes get overwhelmed with watching the kids, but he is always ready to assist her. After speaking with Foster. Nathan arrived on the scene from school, and I made contact with him.

Before asking Nathan questions regarding the incident, I completed a truth verification test. The questions I provided below were answered correctly.
• Nathan had a dark green shirt on today; I asked him if I told you the color of your shirt is yellow is that truth or a lie.
O He answer that’s a lie my shirt is dark green
• Nathan had a trampoline in his back yard; I asked him if I told said, you do not have a trampoline in your backyard is that truth or a lie
O He answers it’s a lie he had one and pointed towards it.
• He had black shoes on; I asked him if he had black shoes on is that truth or a lie.
O He advised it was the truth.
After Barrett had passed the verification test, I asked Nathan did he see any marks or bruises on Barrett’s face when he showed up yesterday morning, and Nathan stated no he did not. I asked him did he see anyone ever hit Barrett when he was at the house, and he stated no. The final question I asked him did he see Barrett fall at any time when he was over, and he stated no.
After speaking with Nathan, I relocated back to Jodi Williams’s house and asked her about sending a text to Wendy regarding Sophia hitting Barrett with the toy. She stated that she possibly might have hit him with a toy while they were playing but not that hard to cause bruises.
After completing my follow-up, I left the scene.

Case Status: Open, Investigation Active, Refer to CIS for further investigation.