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Man faces child-abuse charges

A man who served time for his role in the fatal beating of a 2-year-old girl in 1999 is once again accused of harming a child.

Date published: 7/18/2008

BY KEITH EPPS

A man who served time for his role in the fatal beating of a 2-year-old girl in 1999 is once again accused of harming a child.

Larry Allen Gathers Jr., 32, was indicted by a Stafford County grand jury earlier this month on five charges—two counts of aggravated sexual battery and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.

Details regarding the new allegations weren’t clear yesterday, but court records show that the alleged incidents occurred in June 2006 and June of this year.

He had not been arrested as of today.

Gathers served three years in prison for his role in the April 1999 death of 2-year-old Lesshayvia Traylor. She died from internal bleeding as the result of a blow to the stomach, an autopsy report showed.

The girl had been hit or kicked in the stomach at least two other times, a medical examiner testified, and had multiple bruises and burn marks when she died.

Prosecutor Eric Olsen was criticized for the plea agreement that allowed Gathers to serve just three years. But Olsen explained at the time that he wasn’t sure at the time if he could prove whether Gathers or the child’s mother delivered the fatal blow.

If either had been acquitted of the charge, Olsen said, their baby boy—who was born the day before Lesshayvia died—might have been returned to their custody and faced the same abuse as his sister.

Gathers pleaded guilty to two counts of felony child abuse. The child’s mother pleaded guilty to one count and served six months in prison. Gathers admitted during his sentencing that he hit the child.

This isn’t the first time Gathers has been in trouble since his release from prison.

Court records show that he’s been convicted of two probation violations and charges of filing a false police report and obstructing justice.

He was also arrested on domestic assault and other charges following a 2004 incident in the Paradise Mobile Home Park in central Stafford.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404

kepps@freelancestar.com



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Date published: 7/18/2008


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PIG (posted by Katie , July 19, 2008 12:48 am)   
This man is a PIG and I hope he not only goes to jail the rest of his life (doubtful), but I hope he gets castrated by the closest wild animal!

reading comprehension (posted by cassandra&sarasdaddy , July 18, 2008 11:58 pm)   
why are you folks mumbling about the fredericksburg court house etc? these cases happened in stafford

Did the mom likewise get 3 years? (posted by MrZorro , July 18, 2008 9:16 pm)   
If the judge was not sure which one did it, then the sentences should at least be equal. Fredericksburg does not deserve a new courthouse downtown, if the judges are incompetent, and justice is not served.

maybe (posted by riley6 , July 18, 2008 9:08 pm)   
Maybe if the judges were elected by the public they're SUPPOSED to serve instead of being appointed by their golfing buddies, they would actually make decisions based on the INTENT of the law instead of what their buddy lawyers suggest. We need to have some brains on the bench. We don't. No wonder there is so much crime. Where is the fear of spending time in prison for these criminals?

lazy lawyers and judges (posted by freddy123 , July 18, 2008 8:59 pm)   
you know if we as a community held these judges accountable for these criminals commiting crimes against us after there deemed a danger to our society > i think we should start locking up these judges also for allowing this to happen maybe it would send a message for them to do there damn job instead of allowing some sweet plea bargin from some lazy lawyer

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