NEWS

Woman charged with murder of infant

Lou Whitmire
Reporter

MANSFIELD – A local woman accused of killing a baby is jailed on $1 million bond.

City police say she was the caregiver of a 10-week-old infant who died last month. She is charged with murder.

Brenda Pratt, 61, was arraigned via video conferencing Tuesday in Richland County Common Pleas Court, where Magistrate Garry Dalbey ordered a $1 million cash and personal recognizance bond and electronic monitoring. Pratt pleaded not guilty. Dalbey appointed attorney Bernie Davis to represent Pratt, who remains in the Richland County Jail.

Richland County Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page said Tuesday morning the death is a shaken baby syndrome case.

Mansfield police arrested Pratt on Monday at the Mansfield Police Department. Mansfield police Detective Dave Scheurer said the infant was at a Mansfield home when the incident occurred, left in the care of the babysitter. He declined to provide the address.

Police have declined to publicly release the infant's name. A relative identified the infant as Sophia Rock.

"She (Pratt) has no criminal background," Scheurer said.

Pratt was indicted on four felony counts: murder, endangering children, felonious assault and involuntary manslaughter, according to court records.

Richland County Children Services and the Mansfield Police Department Major Crimes Unit started an investigation into the infant's death after police received a call Jan. 21 from Akron Children's Hospital.

Hospital staff told police they were treating a 10-week-old girl for significant injuries. The infant died Feb. 3.

Police consulted with the Richland County Prosecutor's Office following the child's death and presented the case to a Richland County grand jury. The grand jury found enough evidence to indict Pratt on one count of murder.

"This is a very sad case in the face of the other child victims in recent weeks," Mansfield police Lt. Rob Skropits said in a release. "People should be aware that it is easier to set a child down and walk away if the stress is too great."

A person convicted of murder without a sexual specification usually will serve between 15 years and life in prison.

Scheurer said the infant was taken to OhioHealth MedCentral Mansfield Hospital by Mansfield rescue squad.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, shaken baby syndrome — also known as abusive head trauma, shaken impact syndrome, inflicted head injury or whiplash shake syndrome — is a serious brain injury resulting from forcefully shaking an infant or toddler.

Shaken baby syndrome destroys a child's brain cells and prevents his or her brain from getting enough oxygen. Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse that can result in permanent brain damage or death, according to Mayo Clinic.

Last month Mansfield police arrested two men on felony child endangerment charges in unrelated incidents.

Cody Wayman, 25, of 135 W. Cook Road, remains in the Richland County Jail accused by Mansfield police of placing his 6-week-old daughter face down on the couch and strangling her from behind. Police allege he then picked up the infant by the neck and slammed her down on the couch several times. Police also allege Wayman forcefully jammed a child's nasal aspirator down her throat several times, according to a Mansfield Municipal Court document obtained Feb. 10. Police said the infant has since left Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus following a surgery.

On Feb. 13, Benjamin Deems, 31, of 389 N. Mulberry St., was charged with felony child endangering. He remains in the Richland County Jail. Mansfield police said the 8-week-old baby remains in Akron Children's Hospital intensive care unit. According to a Mansfield Municipal Court document, Deems was alone with his son at home and told police the baby began to choke on formula from a bottle.

Deems told police that when his son was choking he began to strike the child violently on the back and then along both sides of its torso.

"From Benjamin M. Deems striking the infant it suffered several broken ribs and an abdominal distension and it son a ventilator in Akron Children's Hospital in PICU, according to the court document.

Scheurer said the case against Pratt took some time to make an arrest because police needed the medical examiner's report and the physician's report from Akron Children's Hospital.

Family members attending Pratt's arraignment Tuesday declined comment.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir