Man, 21, convicted in child's beating
Man pleads guilty in baby pummeling case
Date published: 11/25/2008
BY KEITH EPPS
A Fredericksburg man who beat an 8-month-old boy nearly to death for no apparent reason pleaded guilty to two charges yesterday.
Jordan Scott Johnson, 21, pleaded guilty in Fredericksburg Circuit Court to malicious wounding and child neglect.
He will face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 23.
According to prosecutor Travis Bird, Johnson was baby sitting the child on June 9 at the Forest Village home he shared with the child's mother, Sarah McCormsey.
McCormsey came home from work about 10:30 p.m. that night and found the child bruised and unresponsive.
The child was flown to the VCU Medical Center in Richmond, where he was on life support for four days. Bird said doctors reported that the boy would have died had he not gotten to the hospital when he did.
Among the child's injuries were multiple skull fractures and a lacerated liver. Bird said the child has since made a "miraculous" recovery.
According to the evidence, Johnson initially denied knowing what had happened to the child.
But he later told Detective Mark Purcell that he'd gotten frustrated because the baby "wouldn't let me help him."
Bird said police don't know what Johnson meant by that statement, but said the child was not fussy or crying.
Johnson told police that he struck the child with an open hand and shook him violently until "white spit was coming out of his mouth."
Johnson said he repeatedly slammed the baby's head into the floor and threw him into a bassinet so hard that the bassinet broke.
During the interview, Johnson referred to himself as a "coward" and said he felt the child had disrespected him.
The child's mother was pregnant at the time of the attack and has since had Johnson's child.
Johnson was convicted of 11 counts of vandalism in 2006 for damaging vehicles on Wolfe Street, including two city Sheriff's Office vehicles.
He also got a suspended three-year prison term for a related attempted grand larceny charge, court records show.
Keith Epps: 540/374-5404 Email: kepps@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Fredericksburg
Date published: 11/25/2008
Most recent reader comments:
He should pay the medical bills...
(posted by
MrZorro
, Nov. 25, 2008 7:40 pm)  
That would be a fate worse than prison. This is another reason why hospital costs are so high. The bills of the normal patients are jacked-up to cover the costs of these incidents of violence.
Evil, sick @7#6
(posted by
sljohnson
, Nov. 25, 2008 6:31 pm)  
This was an 8 month old baby only capable of sitting up, crawling, playing, smiling, happiness and LOVE. I hope his cell mate hears of these horrors and treats him accordingly. There should be a follow up story on whether the mother has any further contact with this POS.
Hard time
(posted by
Talisman
, Nov. 25, 2008 3:50 pm)  
Everyone needs to write a letter to the Prosecutor to hand the judge before sentencing, to let it be known that we the citizens have had enough of this. We're sick and tired of these ignorant thugs abusing and hurting our children. We want the maximum sentence and anything less is a crime against the community. I don't believe in taking the law into our own hands but IT IS THE JOB of the prosecutor and judge to protect us from animals like this. Unbelievable.
Prison Justice
(posted by
lulu0202
, Nov. 25, 2008 1:29 pm)  
Hopefully this thug will make lots of "friends" in prison who will make sure he receives proper treatment for a child abuser.
Can you say DEATH PENALTY???
(posted by
Maxsmom64
, Nov. 25, 2008 1:15 pm)  
inflicted with cruel and unusal punishment....I know you can...i don't want my tax dollars paying fot this MONSTER!
Turn him loose in a room full of Mothers and he will beg for mercy in the first 10 seconds....
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