Today, in Springfield, Massachusetts, a man was found guilty of
child abuse after he was accused of allowing the traumatic beating of his stepdaughter. Reports indicate that his stepdaughter sustained a severe brain injury after she was savagely beaten.
The jurors presiding over the case found Jason Strickland guilty of five of the six charges related to the beating that occurred in 2005. The victim was 11 year old Haleigh Poutre. Prosecutors allege that Strickland and his wife, Holli, participated in physical abuse that left the young girl in a coma and on life support.
Prior to their deliberations, the jurors asked Hampden Superior Court Judge, Judd Carhart, if they had to believe that Strickland was present when the girl suffered the catastrophic brain injury. The judge said that they did not have to believe that Strickland was present, but did have to believe that an "ordinary person" would know that leaving Haleigh with her mother would lead to serious injury of the girl or a real risk of injury. The jury deliberated for a few hours and then delivered the "guilty" verdict.
34 year old Strickland, an auto mechanic, claimed that he never physically abused Haleigh. He said that he believed his wife when she said that Haleigh's injuries were self-inflicted. Injuries included burns, bruises and cuts. The jury decided that they believed Strickland had not abused Haleigh himself, but was negligent and allowed the injuries to occur.
Strickland was charged with six counts of assault and battery for the numerous injures the 11 year old suffered in September 2005 and from prior beatings from a bat, his foot, a stick and his open hand. He was convicted of 2 counts of
assault and
battery on a child, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery.
His sentencing is expected to occur on December 11th.
Haleigh was on life support for several months before child welfare officials received permission from the court to remove her feeding tube. However, prior to the removal of her feeding tube, she began to show signs of improvement. The state received criticism for acting too quickly and not looking out for Haleigh's best interest. Haleigh is now 14 and lives in a Boston rehabilitation hospital where she is able to perform simple tasks, including feeding herself and writing her own name.
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