Court documents indicate that the mother of 2 year old Serenity Wilson, 24 year old Krysti Lavanway and her boyfriend 21 year old Shane Weedling lied to police officers about the incidents that lead to the death of the little girl.
Plymouth Police were dispatched to the Plymouth Hospital Friday afternoon about 2:30 after Lavanway brought her daughter to the ER and emergency personal suspected a case of child abuse. The little girl was unconscious and had sustained a major head injury with bleeding on the brain. There were also numerous bruises on her torso, legs and arms and buttock.
Lavanway told Detective Mangus she had come home early from work and was giving Serenity a shower at the Economy Inn. When there was a knock at the door she left the child alone and allegedly she slipped and struck her head and had a bloody nose. Lavanway also stated that Weedling was not at home when the injury occurred. She told the detective the other bruises on the toddler’s body were from a fall down the stairs at the Economy Inn on Sunday.
Going to the motel police found Weedling asleep and a bag of marijuana on the night stand. He told police he was watching the child while her mother was at work and about 9 a.m. he went outside to smoke when she fell in the shower. He didn’t think she was hurt too badly but did facebook the mother to come home. When Lavanway got home Weedling did notice that the child was quiet and limp.
Interviewing neighbors found that Weedling was tired of Serenity “wetting the bed and he wanted her to live somewhere else.” It was alleged that Weedling told the neighbor, “he don’t want to go to the hospital because he would be arrested.”
Krysti Lavanway finally admitted to Detective Mangus that she was not at home at the time of the incident and that she was “trying to protect Shane.” She said that Shane Weedling had admitted to her that he broke a hair brush when he spanked the child and she believed the bruises on her buttocks occurred at that time.
Weedling was arrested on Friday and charged with Neglect of a Dependent resulting is serious bodily injury as a level 3 felony with a $10,000 cash bond. Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman said charges against Weedling will be amended since the child died from the injuries.
Krysti Lavanway was arrested Monday and initially charged with Neglect of a Dependent and held in the Marshall County Jail with no bond.
An autopsy was performed Monday in Fort Wayne but results have not been release yet.
Listeners and readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
