Convicted child abuser on the lam

SANDUSKY — A man who pleaded guilty to abusing a child in his care skipped his sentencing and is still on the run. Devin M. Mims, 27, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty in May to one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony. In exchange for his plea, the state dropped two counts of child endangering. The defense and the state agreed to jointly recommend a six to nine-year prison sentence. He was scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7 in Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Tygh Tone's court but skipped the hearing. Law enforcement officials have been looking for him since a bench warrant was issued for his arrest on Aug. 8. Law enforcement believes Mims is somewhere in the Cleveland area, according to Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth. His office has enlisted the U.S. Marshals for help in locating Mims and returning him to Erie County for sentencing. Mims was accused of causing catastrophic injuries to a 4-month-old child, according to Sandusky police. Detectives were called to a local hospital in February 2023 for a report of a baby with major injuries. The injuries included: several rib fractures and bilateral subdural hematomas, or blood clots, from damaged blood vessels between the skull and brain. Mims reportedly told officers he was "rough" with the child while tickling her. Investigators told Mims that tickling would not cause rib fractures. When asked if he could think of a time when the baby fell, Mims reportedly admitted to dropping the child while she was in a "bouncer." This was later discovered to be a rocker. The child's mother, Sondra VanWhy, also faced charges in the case. The 22-year-old woman pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of felony child endangering. At an August sentencing hearing, VanWhy was ordered into the custody of the state for a 30-month term, or two-and-a-half years. As of Tuesday, she is incarcerated in the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. She has an expected release date of January 2028.