02-01-2006, 10:40 AM
Grand jury to hear injured infant case
By Patricia Lynch Kimbro
The Dickson Herald
1st Feb 2006
The parents of an infant whose right leg was broken were bound over Friday to the February term of the Dickson County grand jury.
Anthony Barker, 32, of Vanleer is charged with aggravated child abuse and remains in the Dickson County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.
His wife, Summar Barker, 22, is charged with accessory after the fact and is free on a $2,000 bond.
Anthony Barker had previously told investigators he was changing his son’s diaper sometime between 10 p.m. Jan. 2 and 2 a.m. Jan. 3 when he grabbed and twisted the then 3-week-old baby’s right leg, causing a break.
Dickson County authorities were notified about the incident Jan. 4 after officials at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital called the Department of Children’s Services to investigate the case.
The Barkers did not testify at Friday’s preliminary hearing.
Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Atkins is prosecuting the case. Assistant Public Defender Rick Long and attorney Jerred Creasy are representing the Barkers.
Testimony showed Anthony Barker spent a couple of years in jail on another child abuse charge a few years ago in which the 7-month-old infant of a former girlfriend was injured while in his care.
Deborah Stacy of Waverly is the mother of that child.
Stacy was in court Friday, but did not testify. After the court proceedings she told The Dickson Herald that she was surprised when she heard about the latest incident involving Anthony Barker.
“I honestly thought he would have changed. I thought he had changed,” Stacy said.
Stacy said her son, who is now five years old, is autistic and blind in his right eye. She said the doctors have been unable to determine whether it was due to the shaking at the hands of Anthony Barker.
“My son had three subdural hematomas to his brain and a compressed disc and a detached retina in his right eye. He’s been diagnosed as developmentally disabled and autistic. But they (the doctors) can’t verify if it was directly related to the incident of shaking. But my son had no prior symptoms before that happened,” Stacy said.
The incident occurred in October 2000, she said.
Barker served two years in jail and was in the community corrections program when the latest incident occurred.
When initially questioned by investigators on the latest incident, Anthony Barker, according to Dickson County Sheriff’s Detective John Patterson, did not immediately admit he had done anything to his child.
He also did not mention the prior incident involving Stacy’s child until later, testimony revealed.
But later at the sheriff’s office during interrogation, Anthony Barker admitted that he knew Patterson due to his prior time in jail, according to testimony.
The Barkers’ child is staying with relatives in Cheatham County.
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Source: http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...8/MTCN0301
By Patricia Lynch Kimbro
The Dickson Herald
1st Feb 2006
The parents of an infant whose right leg was broken were bound over Friday to the February term of the Dickson County grand jury.
Anthony Barker, 32, of Vanleer is charged with aggravated child abuse and remains in the Dickson County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.
His wife, Summar Barker, 22, is charged with accessory after the fact and is free on a $2,000 bond.
Anthony Barker had previously told investigators he was changing his son’s diaper sometime between 10 p.m. Jan. 2 and 2 a.m. Jan. 3 when he grabbed and twisted the then 3-week-old baby’s right leg, causing a break.
Dickson County authorities were notified about the incident Jan. 4 after officials at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital called the Department of Children’s Services to investigate the case.
The Barkers did not testify at Friday’s preliminary hearing.
Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Atkins is prosecuting the case. Assistant Public Defender Rick Long and attorney Jerred Creasy are representing the Barkers.
Testimony showed Anthony Barker spent a couple of years in jail on another child abuse charge a few years ago in which the 7-month-old infant of a former girlfriend was injured while in his care.
Deborah Stacy of Waverly is the mother of that child.
Stacy was in court Friday, but did not testify. After the court proceedings she told The Dickson Herald that she was surprised when she heard about the latest incident involving Anthony Barker.
“I honestly thought he would have changed. I thought he had changed,” Stacy said.
Stacy said her son, who is now five years old, is autistic and blind in his right eye. She said the doctors have been unable to determine whether it was due to the shaking at the hands of Anthony Barker.
“My son had three subdural hematomas to his brain and a compressed disc and a detached retina in his right eye. He’s been diagnosed as developmentally disabled and autistic. But they (the doctors) can’t verify if it was directly related to the incident of shaking. But my son had no prior symptoms before that happened,” Stacy said.
The incident occurred in October 2000, she said.
Barker served two years in jail and was in the community corrections program when the latest incident occurred.
When initially questioned by investigators on the latest incident, Anthony Barker, according to Dickson County Sheriff’s Detective John Patterson, did not immediately admit he had done anything to his child.
He also did not mention the prior incident involving Stacy’s child until later, testimony revealed.
But later at the sheriff’s office during interrogation, Anthony Barker admitted that he knew Patterson due to his prior time in jail, according to testimony.
The Barkers’ child is staying with relatives in Cheatham County.
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Source: http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...8/MTCN0301