Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Ashanti Hendricks: Physical Abuse of a Child

Ashanti Hendricks, the thug responsible for the shooting and subsequent lockdown of Children's Hospital earlier this month, faces a new charge.

From FOX6 News:

22-year-old Ashanti Hendricks – the man charged in connection with an incident at Children’s Hospital on November 14th — is facing a new charge of physical abuse of a child. This, after a seven-week-old baby he was holding when he was approached by police at Children’s Hospital suffered a fractured skull after being thrown or dropped.

Hendricks pleaded not guilty during a court appearance Monday morning, November 25th. An amended criminal complaint was issued against Hendricks, charging him with physical abuse of a child (repeater).

Hendricks already faces one count of felony bail jumping (repeater – failure to appear in court), one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of obstructing/resisting an officer (repeater) and one count of felony bail jumping (repeater).

According to the initial criminal complaint, Milwaukee police officers were dispatched to Children’s Hospital on Thursday, November 14th after receiving a call reporting Hendricks was at the hospital, giving the particular room he was in, and that he had a warrant for his arrest.

Once at the hospital, officers observed Hendricks sitting in a room on a futon holding a baby.

According to the criminal complaint, the baby Hendricks was holding suffered a skull fracture after being thrown or dropped on the floor.

The criminal complaint says officers asked Hendricks to put down the baby, and officers reported it appeared Hendricks was getting nervous, as his hands were shaking and he reached toward his rear waistband.

That’s when the complaint says officers asked Hendricks to show his hands. The complaint says he ran from the room.
I don't care how "nervous" Hendricks was getting. He was holding the baby and was responsible for the infant's skull fracture.

Hendricks deserves to be charged for physical abuse of a child, even if he didn't intend to hurt the baby. He didn't handle the little one with care and the infant suffered a serious injury.

Of course, if a parent or caregiver smothers an infant to death while co-sleeping, no problem.