Zachary Robinett Arrested For 1st Degree Child Abuse "Miracle Baby Is Still Alive"

[Whisper]

BURTON, Michigan -- A 19-year-old man faces first degree child abuse charges for allegedly critically injuring his girlfriend's 14-month-old baby boy, according to the prosecutor's office.

Police were called around 9:45 Feb. 11 to a home on Chicory Lane near Meadowcroft Drive for a baby in distress, according to Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. The baby was found unresponsive and taken to a local hospital.

The mother's boyfriend, Zachary J. Robinett, was arrested after police learned he was alone with the baby while the mother went to work. The baby suffered numerous bruises to head and body, a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain, Leyton said. It appeared to be a case of shaking baby syndrome.

The baby is now recovering.

"Doctors are referring to him as a miracle baby," said Leyton. "At first, they weren't sure he was even going to live."

[...]
Leyton said he is seeing far too many of these cases.

"In just about every case the perpetrator is a young person who is way too young and not ready for parenthood," Leyton said. "In this case, he clearly wasn't ready to take on the responsibility of even watching the child."

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde...-+MLive.com%29

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The sentencing for a Burton man accused of critically injuring a 14-month-old boy who doctors referred to as a "miracle baby" has been delayed after the suspect failed to show up for a pre-sentence interview.

Zachary Robinett, 20, pleaded guilty to assault with harm less than murder in October after authorities said he shook his girlfriend's child. He was originally charged with first-degree child abuse.

Prosecutors recommended that Robinett not be sentenced to prison as part of the plea agreement.
[...]

Robinett was scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 19 by Genesee Circuit Court Judge Judith Fullerton. However, Fullerton was forced to delay the sentencing after Robinett failed to show up to his pre-sentence interview with the probation department.

A $100,000 cash or surety bond was issued for Robinett, but Fullerton revoked the bond Monday and ordered that Robinett be detained at the Genesee County Jail until his new sentencing hearing Dec. 17.

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde...of_burton.html

[Tundratot]

Failed to show up. Maybe the prosecutors will rethink that recommendation now. I certainly hope so. I don't think they should have made such a sweet deal when the child's very survival was a miracle.