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Father gets 6 years for shaking son
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
YOUNGSTOWN
Photo
Dave Bowdish
A 27-year-old Springfield Township man has been sentenced to six years in prison for violently shaking his 2-month-old son in his home Dec. 17.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the prison time Thursday on David Bowdish, of Struthers Road, who pleaded guilty to one felony count of child endangering.
Gabriel Wildman, assistant county prosecutor, recommended the six-year term. The maximum sentence would have been eight years.
Bowdish’s lawyer, Michael Gollings, said after court that Bowdish wants to appeal the sentence.
Citing Bowish’s youth and the fact that he has no prior criminal record, Gollings asked the judge “to consider whatever mercy the court can find in this matter.”
“The fact that I cannot trust my son’s father tears me apart. Parents are supposed to protect their children, not cause them harm,” said Heather Graver, mother of the victim, Kaleb Bowdish.
Graver, however, said she doesn’t believe Bowdish intentionally hurt the baby and that she forgives him.
“Kaleb is now 6 months old and is a happy, precious little boy,” Graver said.
“I can’t explain why I did it,” Bowdish told the judge, adding an apology for his actions.
Because he was having difficulty breathing after being shaken, Kaleb was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital in Boardman and flown from there to the Akron facility.
“Something like this evokes great anger and wrath within me, such that no penalty could be too great for someone that hurts an innocent child,” Judge Krichbaum said.
“The good Lord had a hand in making sure that this child’s OK. So you have that to be thankful for,” the judge told Bowdish.
The judge told Bowdish that he’ll be on parole for three years after he leaves prison.