A judge is considering a subpoena for documents in the death of a two-month old infant in July.
Michael Dawson is accused in the death of his son, Gannon, on July 23.
Dawson’s attorney has subpoenaed the Washington County Children’s Services for documents relating to the child’s condition shortly before his death.
But a representative of the children’s services agency said in court Thursday those documents are confidential and could only be provided under certain exemptions.
Judge Mark Karenyi is to consider whether the documents can be released to Dawson’s attorney, and whether they will only be allowed to be viewed in private.
A Marietta man accused of killing his 2-month-old son by shaking him is scheduled to go on trial in October in Washington County Common Pleas Court.
A grand jury indicted Michael A. Dawson Jr., 31, on murder and endangering-children charges on Aug. 5, following his arrest by Washington County authorities on July 26.
According to online court records, he pleaded not guilty during a hearing in Common Pleas Court on Aug. 6 and a trial was scheduled for Oct. 7.
Dawson’s son, Gannon, died on July 26 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where he was taken after being treated at Marietta Memorial Hospital. The baby suffered a skull fracture; a broken collar bone that was already healing; seven to eight broken or fractured ribs in various stages of healing; and new and old hemorrhages that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.
Dawson remains in the Washington County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
A Marietta man remains jailed on a murder charge after authorities said his 2-month-old baby died Sunday at a Columbus hospital of injuries apparently caused by his dad shaking him.
Washington County sheriff’s deputies arrested Michael A. Dawson, 31, on Sunday, and he was arraigned Monday morning in Marietta Municipal Court. A judge set his bond at $500,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for 1 p.m. on Aug. 5.
Deputies were called to 101 Longacre St., Marietta, on Thursday to investigate a report of a 2-month-old baby not breathing.
The baby, Gannon Dawson, was taken to Marietta Memorial Hospital and then flown to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, authorities said.
According to a sheriff’s office news release, deputies were told that Michael Dawson came home about 8 a.m. after working 13 consecutive days. The baby’s mother, Megan Wiggins, was asleep, and Dawson said that the baby had colic.
Dawson told investigators he picked up the baby and began feeding him. Soon after, the baby began vomiting and having trouble breathing. That’s when he said he woke up Wiggins and told her to call 911 while he started giving the baby CPR.
After the baby was taken to Marietta Memorial, the sheriff’s office said hospital employees were “highly” concerned that the baby had been abused, noting that Dawson’s account of what happened was not consistent with the baby’s injuries, which included bruising under or around his chin.
After the baby was taken to Nationwide Children’s, the sheriff’s office said detectives received notification of a skull fracture; a broken collar bone that was already healing; seven to eight broken or fractured ribs in various stages of healing; and new and old hemorrhages that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Liver damage and bruising to the bowels were also reported.
The sheriff’s office said detectives interviewed Dawson and Wiggins at the hospital in Columbus, and they agreed that the baby had not been dropped or been injured in a car accident. They also said the baby had not been left in the care of anyone else.
Wiggins also confirmed to detectives that the baby did not have any medical problems at birth.
Meanwhile, Dawson, according to the sheriff’s office, told detectives several times that he “never did anything to Gannon intentionally or just to be mean to him” and that he did not do anything intentionally to hurt his son.
This article was originally published by WTAP.
Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.
To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.