Racine baby death; father pleads guilty, sentenced to prison
Shavale Powell
RACINE, Wis. - A Racine man pleaded guilty in the death of his 39-day-old child and was sentenced to prison on Tuesday.
In Court:
Court records show 22-year-old Shavale Powell pleaded guilty to homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon, avoiding trial. Two child abuse charges were dismissed.
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A judge then sentenced Powell to five years in prison, followed by five years of extended supervision.
Powell, who was 17 years old when charges were filed in 2021, was initially charged with first-degree reckless homicide and two counts of physical abuse of a child.
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The backstory:
Emergency personnel were called to a home near LaSalle and Hagerer on Feb. 14, 2021. A criminal complaint said the call was for a "pulseless, non-breathing infant." The 39-day-old baby was found dead when they arrived.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office examined the infant. Court filings said the medical examiner determined the baby died from "abusive head trauma and ruled the death a homicide," noting the child suffered blunt force injuries to the head, chest and extremities.
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Dig deeper:
Prosecutors indicated an 18-month-old child at the home also had "significant bruising and injury" to the left eye. Powell and the child's mother told medical and law enforcement professionals that the injury happened when the child fell in the shower while home with Powell.
The Racine County Children's Advocacy Center later examined the child, and "the injury was ruled concerning for abuse." Investigators later learned that the child "suffered an injury" to the right eye at 5 months old.
The Source: FOX6 News referenced information from the Racine County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.