Posted 12:47 pm Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Send to Kindle
Shaken Baby Trial Begins
By DAYNA WORCHEL
Staff Writer
The trial for a man accused of violently shaking a 14 month old baby in September began this morning in the Smith County 114th District Court. Brian Fredzell Pringle has been charged with injury to a child and faces up to life in prison for the first-degree felony, prosecutor Whitney Tharpe said.
Prosecutors said in opening arguments the young girl, who Pringle was babysitting, now suffers paralysis on one side of her body. The baby was taken by helicopter to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
Defense Attorney Tonda Curry said Pringle, who considered himself to be a “big kid” liked to play, and was playing with the child.
Cassandra Wheeler, who lives behind Pringle in a duplex, said that on Sept. 4, as she returned home from work, Pringle came running up to her holding a baby in his arms, saying he thought she had a seizure.
Ms. Wheeler called 911 asking for help, but Pringle ran back to his residence saying the help wasn’t needed and he thought that the baby was going to be fine. She cancelled the call, but the Tyler Fire Department showed at Pringle’s residence asking to check on the child.
Two firefighters testified that the baby was unresponsive to stimuli, and that Pringle held open the child’s eyes and moved her mouth with his fingers while telling the firefighters that the baby was fine.
Updated Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at 12:48 p.m. CDT
Staff Writer
The trial for a man accused of violently shaking a 14 month old baby in September began this morning in the Smith County 114th District Court. Brian Fredzell Pringle has been charged with injury to a child and faces up to life in prison for the first-degree felony, prosecutor Whitney Tharpe said.
Prosecutors said in opening arguments the young girl, who Pringle was babysitting, now suffers paralysis on one side of her body. The baby was taken by helicopter to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
Defense Attorney Tonda Curry said Pringle, who considered himself to be a “big kid” liked to play, and was playing with the child.
Cassandra Wheeler, who lives behind Pringle in a duplex, said that on Sept. 4, as she returned home from work, Pringle came running up to her holding a baby in his arms, saying he thought she had a seizure.
Ms. Wheeler called 911 asking for help, but Pringle ran back to his residence saying the help wasn’t needed and he thought that the baby was going to be fine. She cancelled the call, but the Tyler Fire Department showed at Pringle’s residence asking to check on the child.
Two firefighters testified that the baby was unresponsive to stimuli, and that Pringle held open the child’s eyes and moved her mouth with his fingers while telling the firefighters that the baby was fine.
Updated Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at 12:48 p.m. CDT
