http://thenewsherald.com/stories/04...050406030.shtml


Hearing delayed in baby's death

By Jason Alley, The News-Herald


PUBLISHED: April 6, 2005 LINCOLN PARK — The case against a 23-year-old father accused in the death of his 1-year-old daughter has been postponed.

Shawn Paul Parker appeared yesterday morning in 25th District Court to face a second-degree murder charge, but the hearing was delayed for three weeks at the request of his attorney.


Parker, free on a $20,000 personal bond, will return to court at 9 a.m. April 26 for a preliminary examination of the evidence against him. That is when Judge David Zelenak is expected to rule whether there's enough evidence for Parker to stand trial on the felony charge.

According to Police Chief Thomas Karnes, officers were called to Parker's house in the 2100 block of Goddard at about 11:20 a.m. March 15 on a report of a child drowning in a bathtub.

Parker told officers that he had put the girl in the tub with her 3-year-old brother and then left the room to get some clothing for his 5-year-old son, who was elsewhere in the house, Karnes said.

When Parker returned to the bathroom five to 10 minutes later, he told officers, his little girl wasn't breathing, Karnes said.

Paramedics were called and transported the baby to an area hospital. After doctors were able to restore her heartbeat, she was transferred to Mercy Children's Hospital in Toledo, where she died the next day.

Parker was the only adult home with his three children at the time, Karnes said. Officers obtained a search warrant and confiscated a home computer that was turned on at the time the girl drowned, Karnes said.

The computer is being looked into to see if there was any activity on it at the time the little girl was in the bathtub.

"What the father was doing at that particular time is important," Karnes said. "We are investigating everything surrounding that."

Parker's two other children have been removed from the house and placed with family members per an order of Michigan's Children's Protective Services Agency, Karnes said.

Parker reportedly has moved out of his house and is staying with relatives.

His attorney, Thomas Cranmer, called the case "a very tragic accident."

"I can assure you that no one is more remorseful about what happened than my client," Cranmer said. Contact Staff Writer Jason Alley at or at 1-734-246-0867.

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amonestar la yocorazo

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everytime I see this it just tears me up....My heart just breaks for that poor baby....

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just makes me wonder.

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Moral freedom is not the right to do what we want,but the power to do what we ought.

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