Lexie Dial was teaching his five-month-old son to walk

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 21st, 2010, 08:07 PM

An 18-year-old South Carolina man has been charged with homicide by child abuse after authorities say he killed his five-month-old son.

Lexington County Sheriff James Metts says a judge denied bond Thursday for Lexie Dial III of Gaston.

Authorities say Dial shook his son, Joshua, so violently Tuesday night at their home that the boy stopped breathing. Paramedics took the boy to a hospital, where he died the next day from swelling and bleeding on his brain.

http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/...aspx?id=404807

Officers say the information provided by Lexie Dial to investigators was inconsistent with the nature of the child's injuries. Later, he told investigators that he was attempting to get his son to walk.

"When the child didn't walk, he got frustrated and grabbed the child underneath his armpits and started shaking it very violently," says Lexington County Sheriff James Metts.

Deputies say that Lexie Dial intentionally shook his son in a manner that was so violent that the baby almost immediately lost consciousness and suffered severe brain trauma.

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?...=83142&catid=2

"A complete accident." That's what the mother of a five-month-old says is how her boyfriend, Lexie Dial III explained the fatal head injuries to the couple's son.

"People say accidents like this can't happen, I'm proof they can and it did," said Misti Rife.

Dial was in court Thursday morning where he was denied bond. He didn't answer any questions in regards to the child's death.

Rife explained what Dial told her about the night the incident happened.

"We were in the process of moving and so we have a lot of clutter and I'm guessing he tripped, and him and the baby both fell," said Rife.
[...]

Rife says she and Dial were at the hospital Wednesday when Joshua Dial passed away.

"This is killing him and then we didn't even get an hour to grieve over our son together before they grabbed him out of my arms and arrested him," said Rife.
[...]

Even with the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars, Rife says that's not what her baby's father is worried about right now.

"It's not this place -- this place -- yeah, he might be a little scared on the inside of there, but that's not what's scaring him the most," said Rife. "What's scaring him the most is we're still a family, but a member of our family is now gone."
[...]

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11860327

His MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/yung_pistol_gripa

Joshua Dial

**Athena** · January 21st, 2010, 08:10 PM

I don't get denial. I don't think I've ever experienced it. I don't think I can love someone so much as to blind myself to their flaws. A double-edged sword, perhaps.

**Twisted** · January 21st, 2010, 08:13 PM

It's interesting to me that so many people think shaking a baby is an appropriate response to frustration with them. I'm not sure where the idea comes from. There's no other thing I can think of that regularly gets shaken by people frustrated with it.

**Athena** · January 21st, 2010, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Twisted

It's interesting to me that so many people think shaking a baby is an appropriate response to frustration with them. I'm not sure where the idea comes from. There's no other thing I can think of that regularly gets shaken by people frustrated with it.

You know, that's crossed my mind before as well. Or, is shaking more pervasive than we realize, but it doesn't get reported because the subject is not so easily injured by it?

**Twisted** · January 21st, 2010, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Athena

You know, that's crossed my mind before as well. Or, is shaking more pervasive than we realize, but it doesn't get reported because the subject is not so easily injured by it?

Well, I couldn't answer to that, but I never witnessed anyone shaking their dog, cat, friend, or wife when angry at the respective target.

**navsec** · January 22nd, 2010, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Twisted

Well, I couldn't answer to that, but I never witnessed anyone shaking their dog, cat, friend, or wife when angry at the respective target.

I've gotten angry at my penis a couple of times. That's when i let it have it.

**Twisted** · January 22nd, 2010, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by navsec

I've gotten angry at my penis a couple of times. That's when i let it have it.

LOL Well, if you're shaking it, you may be doing it wrong.

**Silvahalo** · January 21st, 2010, 11:09 PM

I don't think these assholes think much on it. It seems to be a response to frustration as a baby cries. They shake but often not realizing it subjects a baby to harm, often death. A baby's cry is supposed to make you respond to help them, otherwise they'd just coo all the time. Now what's the fun in that? Baby Joshua was just being a baby.

This woman is in complete denial comforters her to put away the voice of reason. So sad, she really should be protecting her baby's honor, even in death , protecting him always.

"It's very hard," said Williams. "It's just hard to believe that he won't see his first birthday."

(Grandma on her son Dial). Grandma, it's baby Joshua that will miss every birthday and his entire life. Think on that why don't you.

He was so perfect, absolutely perfect and he's killed for not walking at 5 months. So sorry baby Joshua!

**Abroad** · February 24th, 2010, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Twisted

There's no other thing I can think of that regularly
gets shaken by people frustrated with it.

Try mobiles. Or remote controls...... Or bottles of ketchup!

**Obsolete** · January 21st, 2010, 08:24 PM

Well it's obviously the kid's fault for not knowing how to walk at 5 months old.

**TheMeaningOfItAll** · January 21st, 2010, 09:40 PM

Motherfucker. Trying to get a five month old to walk? Bullshit. And now the mother says he and the baby both fell? Again, bullshit. Unfreakingbelievable. Athena, you're right--total denial. I just can't understand how she says they are still a family and it was an accident, etc. She disgusts me more than he does. He's a murderer. She's someone who dirties her hands trying to cover for a murderer.

**Jaded** · January 21st, 2010, 10:42 PM

I'm thinking that Misti must be retarded.

**Silvahalo** · January 21st, 2010, 11:18 PM

The doctors told detectives the child's injuries were consistent with non-accidental blunt force trauma.
....
Autopsy results reveal Joshua had a subdural hemmorage and cerebral edema as a result of his injuries.

......."He said he was feeding the baby and he stood up and him and the baby both fell."

Seems like the entire family is in denial. even medical evidence doesn't sway them.

**thebooblady** · January 21st, 2010, 11:37 PM

This is local to me. There are a bunch of defenders in the comments on wltx.com I was reading earlier. Of course, it was an "accident" and he would never do that.

**Jaded** · January 21st, 2010, 11:39 PM

It's my understanding that he admitted to shaking the baby rather violently - can't see how anyone could look at this as an accident. And why the fuck was he trying to make the kid walk anyway?

**thebooblady** · January 21st, 2010, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Jaded

It's my understanding that he admitted to shaking the baby rather violently - can't see how anyone could look at this as an accident. And why the fuck was he trying to make the kid walk anyway?

Gaston is full of trailer trash and meth.

**Twisted** · January 21st, 2010, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by thebooblady

Gaston is full of trailer trash and meth.

Finally the last piece falls into place.

**vipjohnson** · January 22nd, 2010, 09:18 AM

When I saw this infant's death online Wednesday night, I immediately thought shaken baby when I heard blunt force trauma.

I happen to know a relative via my job and this person was told that Lexie tripped on a frisbee and when falling, his elbow hit the coffee table which flipped onto the baby's head.

Of course, my bullshit meter was through the roof and sadly, when I got home last night the truth had come out. Who the hell tries to get a five month old baby to walk LET ALONE SHAKE HIM TO DEATH because the infant didn't perform well.

I guess this unfortunate event is another case of the ignorant producing offspring. FYI, the mom was out stripping while daddy was beating their baby to death.

RIP Joshua Hunter

**koochie** · January 22nd, 2010, 09:28 AM

poor baby boy....

**thebooblady** · January 22nd, 2010, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by vipjohnson

When I saw this infant's death online Wednesday night, I immediately thought shaken baby when I heard blunt force trauma.

I happen to know a relative via my job and this person was told that Lexie tripped on a frisbee and when falling, his elbow hit the coffee table which flipped onto the baby's head.

Of course, my bullshit meter was through the roof and sadly, when I got home last night the truth had come out. Who the hell tries to get a five month old baby to walk LET ALONE SHAKE HIM TO DEATH because the infant didn't perform well.

I guess this unfortunate event is another case of the ignorant producing offspring. FYI, the mom was out stripping while daddy was beating their baby to death.

RIP Joshua Hunter

I wonder what strip club she works at. Can you find out?

**Abroad** · February 24th, 2010, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by vipjohnson

FYI, the mom was out stripping while daddy was beating their baby to death.

RIP Joshua Hunter

I have got to confess that I am impressed that the mother was able to get a paying gig as a stripper only five months after giving birth.

**Saffron** · January 22nd, 2010, 09:35 AM

What a moron.... teaching a five month old to walk. Being only five months, he has a 50% chance at not being able to sit up... what a fucking dumbass.

**this is going badly** · January 22nd, 2010, 01:54 PM

I can see why this guy was so frustrated. I mean the baby was already five months old and not walking yet?

Idiot thought he could teach a baby how to walk. Mom is upset because she can't "greive" with this idiot? She needs to get off the pole and get educated on why doctors can tell that her baby did not die due to a fall.

**badfish76** · January 22nd, 2010, 02:06 PM

Unreasonable expectations of what a child can do att particular stages is a leading cause of child abuse.

That is no excuse considering that getting information on what is normal for a child at any stage of development is as easy as a Google search.

Then again that assumes these idiots can even read and write. I have my doubts about that if he expected a 5 month old baby to walk.

**Silvahalo** · February 25th, 2010, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by badfish76

Unreasonable expectations of what a child can do att particular stages is a leading cause of child abuse.

That is no excuse considering that getting information on what is normal for a child at any stage of development is as easy as a Google search.

Then again that assumes these idiots can even read and write. I have my doubts about that if he expected a 5 month old baby to walk.

Agree. What I see is ignorance, stupidity and plain ole fashioned assholery. These fuckers often fall into one or all categories when it comes to abuse of a child. I'm inclined to punch his lights out into the next life time. How's that for ole fashioned justice.

Fuckn baby killers I hate the whole damn lot. Useless, pathetic bastards.

Sweet baby Joshua, you were the light of life, a little treasure. So sorry you were not protected or honored even in death.

**Whisper** · April 19th, 2011, 07:51 PM

Father gets life for killing 5-month-old son

Eleventh Circuit Judge Knox McMahon sentenced 19-year-old Lexie Dial III to life in prison for homicide by child abuse Tuesday in a Lexington County courtroom.

Dial was found guilty last week by a Lexington County jury of killing his 5-month-old son, Joshua, by shaking him to death.
The incident happened in January 2010. Since then, Dial has been in jail awaiting trial.
The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office.
During the trial, Dial testified that injuries to the baby resulted from a fall he had while carrying the infant.
[...]

http://www.thestate.com/2011/04/19/1...killing-5.html

**badfish76** · April 19th, 2011, 09:42 PM

Haha! Let the prison games begin! He will have a good long time to play hide the night stick and watch over his shoulder for Bubba and the other men in there that don't stand for a lousy fucker hurting little ones.

I can't say that I am sorry to see this asswipe go or that I think it is a waste of resources to lock him away forever.

**Tundratot** · April 19th, 2011, 10:44 PM

I guess the judge or jury did not believe Lexie's story about a fall. Must have bought the confession to the police instead. I'm very gratified.

**~Absynthe~** · January 22nd, 2010, 02:21 PM

they will walk when they are ready to do so.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · February 23rd, 2010, 06:15 PM

A judge denied bond Tuesday morning for a Gaston man accused of homicide by child abuse.
[...]

When the circuit court judge denied bond Tuesday in Lexington County, Dial's grandmother passed out in the courtroom and EMS had to be called.

Dial's family said they feel this is not a case where Dial is innocent until proven guilty -- they say it's the other way around.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12030787

Misti wises up:

Joshua's mother is still trying to make sense of what happened.

"Always happy, and loved his mom and his dad, it's just a shame that he couldn't get love from his daddy back," Misti Rife says of her baby.

She blames Dial for his death.

"He didn't just murder our son, in a sense he murdered me, he murdered a big part of me," she says.

Misti says at first, she believed this was an accident until she saw Dial's statement at the Sheriff's department.

"In his own words, from the ink to the pen to the paper, that he did this and I'll never forgive him," Misti says.

Dial will stand before a judge Tuesday, and Misti hopes he'll stay behind bars.

"I want everybody to know how heartless one person, one human being can be and I don't think he deserves the right to ever see the outside again," Misti explains.

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?...=84350&catid=2