Felon jailed for injuring 2-year-old boy

Published 12:30 am Sunday, December 4, 2011

A convicted felon out of the state prison on probation was back in jail Saturday night, charged with assaulting a 2-year-old child left in his care last week.

“The 2-year-old had two broken wrists, a broken collarbone and internal bruising when he was admitted to the River Region Medical Center,” Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said.

Charged with felony child abuse is Maurice Washington, 28, 66 Railroad Alley, Pace said. Washington had been released from the Mississippi Department of Corrections in February after serving time for a conviction of a charge for sale of a controlled substance, Pace said.

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He said the child was taken by family members to his physician on Monday and immediately admitted to the hospital, which contacted the sheriff’s office and the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

On Friday, Pace said, lead Investigator Stacy Rollison of the sheriff’s office, was able to get enough information to present the findings to the District Attorney’s Office, which led to the securing of an affidavit against Washington and getting a warrant issued for Washington’s arrest.

“We went to his apartment Friday and looked for him all last night,” Pace said Saturday, “and then he turned himself in today.” Washington remained in the Warren County Jail Saturday night.

The child, who has been released from the hospital, Pace said, is in the custody of the Warren County Human Services Department.

Pace said his office will ask that Washington be held without bond until his trial. Washington is expected to make is his initial appearance in Warren County Justice Court Monday.

Washington, an acquaintance of the injured child’s mother, had left him at her home to care for the 2-year-old and two other minors when the injuries occurred, Pace said. The other two were not reported injured.

Pace said no other charges were planned at this time.