Report: Baby suffered abuse

SANDUSKY — A mother and father are in jail and accused of abusing their 4-month-old child. Devin M. Mims, 24, Cleveland is facing charges of felonious assault and two counts of child endangering. Sondra Vanwhy, 19, 2000 block Mills St., Sandusky, is charged with one count of child endangering. A Sandusky police detective joined a children services intake investigator at Firelands Regional Medical Center on Feb. 8 for a baby with suspicious injuries that could be consistent with child abuse, according to a Sandusky police report. The child purportedly had several rib fractures. She also had bilateral subdural hematomas, or blood clots, from damaged blood vessels between the skull and brain. Due to her injuries, the baby was transported to a Cleveland hospital that specializes in pediatrics. Mims purportedly told the investigator that he did not know how the child got the rib fractures but admitted he was "rough" when tickling her, according to the report. Both parents said they were unaware of the child having any falls. The investigator then told them that tickling would not produce rib fractures. While speaking with the police detective, Vanwhy reportedly said they brought the child to the emergency room because she started choking while being fed, stopped breathing for about 10 seconds and went limp. After becoming conscious again, the girl started crying and would not stop. The detective asked the parents if there had ever been an accident in which the girl fell. Devin reportedly admitted to accidentally dropping her while she was in a "bouncer," which turned out to be a baby rocker. The girl's parents told the detective one of them is with the child at all times and that the girl does not go to a babysitter. The Cleveland hospital's admitting doctor noted that the injuries constituted "non-accidental trauma," according to the report. The girl's injuries are chronic feeding disorder, oral aversion, seizure-like activity, multiple rib fractures, a leg fracture, a wrist fracture and the subdural hematomas, the report states. "This is one of the worst cases of child abuse I have seen," Sandusky police Chief Jared Oliver said. "It was pure torture for that little baby for months," said Sandusky police Detective Carissa Cruz, who investigated the case. The girl is now in the custody of Erie County children services. As of late Saturday, Mims is detained at Erie County Jail on an $80,000 bond. He has a court appearance scheduled for March 29. Vanwhy is also in Erie County Jail on a $20,000 bond. Her next court date is listed as March 28.