Video campaign against child abuse planned

By Ed Runyan

WARREN — A recent criminal trial in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court involving a man convicted of injuring his 10-week-old daughter demonstrates an all-too-common problem that young mothers should guard against, says a child-care advocate.

It’s the problem of a mom’s leaving her child in the care of a partner, usually a boyfriend, who then injures or kills the child through abuse.

Last week, a jury found Jeremy Hendrex, 29, of Sandusky, formerly of Weathersfield, guilty of felonious assault and child endangering for causing serious injuries to his 10-week-old daughter in 2007 while living with the child’s mother in Weathersfield Township.

Hendrex faces up to eight years in prison when he is sentenced next month.

His daughter, now 2, is partially blind and has brain damage, apparently resulting from shaken-baby syndrome, said Marcia Tiger, executive director, Trumbull County Children Services Board.

CSB, whose investigators testified during the trial, will conduct a public-awareness campaign on the issue at Eastwood Mall in the coming months that asks mothers to “Chose Your Partner Carefully.”

Various messages on that topic will be shown on 26 video screens throughout the mall, including the children’s play area near the J.C. Penney store. The messages are expected to begin appearing by early August.

The messages advise women that selecting a boyfriend is important because their child’s life may depend on it.

“Never leave your child with someone you don’t trust with your child’s life,” a message says.

In many cases, a woman is dependent on the boyfriend to help her because she has limited resources and support, Tiger said.

“Many times, they have only known these men for a few weeks,” she said. “They [the men] are often young and immature, with little child-care experience. Most of these partners have poor impulse control and do not understand that shaking a baby can cause devastating injuries to a child.”

Frequently, the male becomes frustrated by the child because the infant distracts him from doing something he wants to do, such as watching television or playing a video game, Tiger added.

In early 2008, Randall M. Thomas, 24, was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 30 years for beating to death a 2-year-old boy he was watching while living with his stepbrother and his stepbrother’s girlfriend in Warren.

A few months later, Jamie A. Champlin, 28, was sentenced to three years in prison for child endangering tied to the death of a 14-month-old girl, the daughter of his girlfriend. Champlin was watching the girl in the Royal Mall apartments in Niles at the time she became injured.

Champlin admitted picking the girl up by her neck and moving her, but a coroner’s investigation said it was unclear whether Champlin’s actions caused the girl’s death.

runyan@vindy.com

WARNING SIGNS

Mothers are advised to watch for these warning signs in a man who might be called upon to watch a child:

Does he show anger or impatience when your child cries or has a tantrum?

Does he call your child bad names or put the child down?

Does he think it is funny to scare your child?

Does he pretend that when he hurts your child, you are to blame or that it’s no big deal?

Does he tell you that your child is a nuisance?

Source: Marcia Tiger, executive director, Trumbull County Children Services Board