2 Month Old Izayh Denison taken off Life Support

[crickett]

06:11 PM PST on Wednesday, December 31, 2008

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SPOKANE, Wash. -- Sacred Heart Medical Center officials have confirmed two-month old Izayh Denison has been taken off life support. http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/crickett85/Izayah-Denison_t210.jpg


The boy's parents kept the child on child support so his organs could be donated. He died Tuesday afternoon.

The boyfriend of Denison's mother is being held in the Spokane County Jail for allegedly abusing the baby to death.

Andrew Whitmire, 22, is being held in the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of the baby's death.

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A two-month-old baby boy found not breathing and unresponsive Friday night has been declared officially brain dead, according to his parents.



Raw: Baby's parents talk about son's condition Jenauh Denison and James Vancuren say doctors have told them Izayh has no chance of survival. They plan to remove him from life support after donating his organs.

Denison's live-in boyfriend, 22-year-old Andrew Whitmire, is in the Spokane County Jail on charges of first-degree assault. Those charges will likely be upgraded to murder.

Denison says she left Izayh with Whitmire while she was in the hospital being treated for post-partum depression. She learned what had happened to Izayh from a family member.

Whitmire is scheduled to appear in court sometime this week. More specific details of the incident will be released at that time.

Whitmire posted several pictures of Izayh on his MySpace page, even listing his occupation as 'full-time daddy'.
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[crickett]

http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/crickett85/Izayah-Denison_t210.jpg


In this family photo, Izayah Arlen Wayne Denison is seen buckled in a car seat just days after his Oct. 2 birth. Izayah, who police say was abused by his mother’s boyfriend, was taken off life support Tuesday afternoon after being brought to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital late Friday.
(Full-size photo)
Funeral
 Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane is handling services for Izayah Arlen Wayne Denison. For information on how to make a donation to cover funeral costs can be made to Heritage by calling (509) 838-8900.
The parents of the baby who police say was abused by his mother’s boyfriend carried a framed photo of him Monday.

Taken just a few days after his birth, the photo shows Izayah Arlen Wayne Denison buckled in a car seat, peering at the camera and wearing a shirt with the lettering “my hero” on the front.

Now, just a few days shy of his 3-month birthday, Izayah lies brain-dead in Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, awaiting surgery to remove organs to donate.

“He’s now a hero to a lot of babies,” said the boy’s father, James VanCuren, 25.

Medics arrived at the apartment Izayah shared with his 3-year-old brother and mother, Jenauh (pronounced Gina) Denison, in the 1400 block of East Seventh Avenue late Friday and found him unconscious, with a neighbor performing CPR.

Police arrested Andrew W. Whitmire, 22, at Sacred Heart Medical Center later that night after determining he’d been caring for the boy after Denison, his girlfriend, checked herself into the emergency room earlier that day for postpartum depression.

Whitmire appeared in Spokane County District Court Monday on a charge of first-degree assault of a child, where Judge Sarah Derr set his bail at $1 million and said the charge will be upgraded to first- or second-degree murder once Izayah is taken off life support.

Snow delayed a team of doctors en route from Seattle Monday to look at Izayah. They arrived late Monday night, and VanCuren and Denison expected the boy’s organs to be harvested today.

“It’s not going to really kick in until he’s gone,” Denison said.

Papers filed in Spokane County District Court Monday show Denison arrived at Sacred Heart Medical Center about four hours before Izayah arrived not breathing and with bruises on his legs, back and buttocks.

Izayah, who Denison said was colicky, had been crying that evening but had calmed down when she gave him to Whitmire, according to the court documents. Whitmire told doctors he’d changed the boy’s diaper and fed him a bottle, then found him limp on the couch after setting him down to sleep.

When Spokane police Detective Mark Burbridge told Whitmire the boy’s bruises appeared to have been recent, “Andrew put his head down for approximately 2 minutes and then said ‘I didn’t mean to hurt him,’ ” according to court documents.

Whitmire said he’d been playing with the boy when his head snapped back, but after Burbridge accused him of lying, Whitmire said he’d spanked the boy, “but not very hard,” according to the documents.

“Andrew said ‘If Izayah was going to cry; he would give him something to cry about,’ ” Burbridge said.

According to the documents, Whitmire told Burbridge the baby had gone limp and stopped breathing after he shook him three times.

Izayah’s case is similar to another from earlier this year. In March, Nevaeh Alana Miller, 7 months, was taken off life support after her organs were donated to three babies.

Her mother’s now-ex-boyfriend, Jereme J. Bassett, 23, is scheduled for trial in January on a second-degree murder charge. Nevaeh’s mother, Jennifer Wilcox, 29, was working at the Spokane Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center when she left Nevaeh and her 8-year-old son with Bassett at the room they were renting at the West Wynn Motel.

She said she cried when she learned what happened to Izayah and was struck by how similar the stories were.

“I left my baby with him because I trusted him,” Wilcox said in a phone interview from her Clarkston home. “It kind of opens your eyes – I just would never leave my kid with nobody unless it was a family member now.”

That’s what VanCuren and Denison want people to learn from Izayah’s story.

“Our main objective here is to let people know not to trust no one,” VanCuren said.

Said Denison, “In a way, I do think it’s my fault. I had him at my house. All I know is I hate myself for doing that … I wish we could be psychic.”

Denison and Whitmire had been dating since August, and Denison said Whitmire considered Izayah to be his own son.

“He’d hold him. He’d dance with him. He’d rock him to sleep,” she said.

Izayah will be cremated, and his ashes will be divided into two urns, one for Denison and one for VanCuren. They plan to get tattoos to remember the son they said was strong, giggly and alert.

“Every time I’d hold him he’d just look at me and smile and giggle,” VanCuren said.
http://www.pharmacychoice.com/News/article.cfm?Article_ID=238974

[crickett]

Posted: Dec 29, 2008 05:44 PM PST

Updated: Dec 29, 2008 06:37 PM PST



Also See:

Snow delays infant's inevitable death

SPOKANE -- Monday's snowfall has delayed the inevitable death of a Spokane infant who was the victim of child abuse.

Police say three-month-old Izayah Denison is the victim of child abuse and the only thing keeping him alive are the machines that are making him breathe and keeping his tiny little heart beating.

While Izayah will never see another Christmas, he is giving the gift of life for other babies.

A plane load of doctors were scheduled to fly into Spokane to harvest the baby's organs at Sacred Heart Medical Center. That flight was waved away in the air as the runway was filled with snow and their plane was unable to land.

Izayah Denison was brought to SHMC in full arrest the day after Christmas. Doctors were able to get his heart beating again but his brain never recovered.

Twenty-two-year-old Andrew Whitmire was arrested over the holiday weekend suspected of beating and nearly shaking an infant to death.

"I didn't mean any of this to happen. I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Whitmire said.

Whitmire was babysitting his girlfriend's child and told police Izayah Denison just stopped breathing. Doctors didn't believe him.

"A baby or young child cannot not just fall down and injure themselves to the extent that's consistent with these injuries and so we could immediately see that some one had done this to the child," Spokane Police Detective Sergeant Joe Peterson said.

As fresh bruises continued to develop on Izayah in the hospital Spokane Major Crimes detectives confronted Whitmire about the baby's injuries. He first told investigators he accidentally dropped the child but later admitted he has lost his temper.

"They say he beat him with a spatula and in the report it says he shook him," James Vancuren, Izayah's father, said.

In district court Monday Izayah's parents watched on closed circuit TV as Whitmire made his court appearance. Whitmire told the couple via closed circuit television that he was sorry which was little comfort for a family faced with taking their son off his respirator.

"They are keeping his body alive to give his organs to other babies who are in need of hearts and livers and everything else," James Vancuren said. "It means someone else will be able to have their baby longer than I've had mine."


The operation that will harvest Izayah's organs is now scheduled for Tuesday. He will then be allowed to die on his own and that's when the charges against Whitmire will be upgraded to murder.

Major Crimes detectives warned that if you ask a man to babysit your child that has no biological ties to your kid and no parenting experience then you are exposing your family to a potential tragedy just like this one.***They should tell new moms this while they are still in the hospital.

[Peeperann]

“He’s now a hero to a lot of babies,” said the boy’s father, James VanCuren, 25.

Yes he will be a hero to a lot of other babies, but it's so sad he was murdered and his tiny beautiful light was snuffed out.

I cannot believe that pos said "if you're going to cry, i'll give you something to cry about"!! He was only two MONTHS old. Babies cry, it's what they do. And of course the whole "I didn't mean to hurt him" WTF?? If you hit an infant, it will hurt him you stupid evil bastard!!

Rest with God sweet baby and thank you for helping others..............

[Peeperann]

Major Crimes detectives warned that if you ask a man to babysit your child that has no biological ties to your kid and no parenting experience then you are exposing your family to a potential tragedy just like this one.

And how long have we been shouting this statement????

[~Absynthe~]

:goodnight:ripIzayah

[Vilijonkka]

I cannot believe that pos said "if you're going to cry, i'll give you something to cry about"!! He was only two MONTHS old. Babies cry, it's what they do. And of course the whole "I didn't mean to hurt him" WTF?? If you hit an infant, it will hurt him you stupid evil bastard!!

Rest with God sweet baby and thank you for helping others..............

That got me too. Like the baby would cry just to annoy you, idiot. I can't believe it's 21st century and people still don't understand that babies cry for a REASON, be it hunger, cold, pain or whatever. It's called communication.

To beat a baby for the crying to stop --- where is the sense in that???????? Common sense will do, babybeaters, unless you're true evil, and that's why "never meant this to happen" is the lousiest statement ever.

Sweet baby boy, may you live on in those lives you helped to save.

[silvahalo68]

He says he didn't mean for any of this to happen, and appears he cared for the child...he should have done more of this...
“He’d hold him. He’d dance with him. He’d rock him to sleep,” she said.

Then explain this...

"They say he beat him with a spatula and in the report it says he shook him," James Vancuren, Izayah's father, said.

I can understand frustration, I can even kind of get losing it in a moment of stress....
What I will never understand is if you have any decency, any compassion, any feelings
for the little baby crying in your arms, you will NOT beat a baby....how could you?
What was done to baby Izayah was cruel and unforgivable.

I condone no behavior that injures a child...a helpless baby.
So many people who hold a baby treat the crying child like a rag doll, thrown about with no feeling.
That baby crying, is a person. Think of how you would want to be treated if it was you,
helpless and needing to be comforted.

Sweet little Izayah...you were the light of life. I am so sorry your light was taken from you.
Such a beautiful baby...rest with the angels little one...kisses.

http://i35.tinypic.com/2s84ac1.jpg

[crickett]

I'm trying to find a picture of that baby murdering asshat Andrew Whitmire. If one of you DD'ers can find one, will you post it here please? Thanks!
He was just a cute cuddly little baby. If he cried I would have cuddled him. He just needed held.
http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?s=9592477
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/dec/30/babys-organs-to-be-donated/

Arrest documents at below link
http://media.spokesman.com/documents/andrew_whitmire_arrest.pdf

[Kimberix]

that is so heart breaking, I'm glad that some good will come from this evil act by donating his organs.....though personally I would also take the dicks organs as well, just to I don't know, string them up. I can't even think straight on this one!

[silvahalo68]

Couldn't find the baby killer's picture. His myspace isn't accessible...at least I think I was looking at the right one. I read he posted pictures of the baby and called himself a "full time daddy".

I did find this video on the mother and father, (Andrew Whitmire was her boyfriend)....so heartbreaking.

http://www.krem.com/topstories/stories/krem2-122708-baby-assault.11218954.html

[Peeperann]

Aw Silvahalo, that video was indeed heart breaking. The mom looks like she's not really there right now, and I can't blame her. I'm glad the dad had his arms around her, supporting her.

They must be in so much pain. And I love that they give the warning not to leave your child with someone unless you completely trust them. So sad this is the way they had to learn that lesson.

[crickett]

I just don't quite understand all this. The baby was only two months old and she already had another man LIVING with her. Not just seeing someone else, living with her. And the baby's father is being so supportive of her. So, what went wrong in their relationship so fast? And WHY did she not leave the baby with his father when she went to the hospital?

[silvahalo68]

http://i35.tinypic.com/bedoaa.jpg

Sweet Izayah, may your homeward bound be peaceful and beautiful.
You were the light of day...a ray of sunshine.
In the short time you graced this world...
you were the miracle of life, now in
death you are a miracle in heaven...kisses sweet one.





For Izayh Denison

[crickett]

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WHITMIRE, ANDREW WAYNE Stay #: 0800030982
CID #: 350061
Race: White
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Intake Date: 12/27/2008 at 03:43



- Booking Number: 0800068878 Bond Court: Spokane County District Court
Report Number: 080400532
Case Number: PC
Booking Date/Time: 12/27/2008 03:43

Bond: $2000000.00 Court: Spokane County District Court
RCW: 9A.32.050(1)(B)CA
Description: MURDER-2D (W/OTHER FELONY) CA









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[Becca]

I just don't quite understand all this. The baby was only two months old and she already had another man LIVING with her. Not just seeing someone else, living with her.

I personally think it's not that unusual. I left my daughter's dad when she was one month old bcs that relationship was done way before she was born but it took me looking at her newborn face to know I could give a shit what he did to me, but he would NOT fuck up her life. If I had a man in my life a month later, it would mean nothing about how I felt about her or me.

Being a concerned in-there knowing-what-the-fuck-is-going-on mother trumps the child's age, race, and relationship status of the parents.


P.S. That's a cute baby boy. I cannot even fathom a two month old on life support.

[DarkPrincess]

This crushes my heart. I can't even rant and rave like I usually do. It just makes me sad.

[Rockin Ma]

Silva, thanks for that video. It was so sad.

My son's name is Isaiah, I call him Zay for short. It's always terrible reading about the abused little ones. This one really saddens me. My Zay was abused by a boyfriend too. Thankfully not like this.