Spokane7
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April 8, 2010 in City
Police: Baby brain dead after assault by father
When medics first saw Skyelynn Jamison this week, the two-month-old girl had a serious head injury, broken ribs and bruises all over her body.
Her father, 18-year-old Tyler L. Jamison, told a doctor on the phone earlier that he thought something was wrong, but police say he ignored orders to take the girl to a hospital immediately.
Now Skyelynn is on life support at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, and Jamison is in Spokane County Jail on a first-degree assault charge that police say will be amended to a homicide charge if Skyelynn dies. The girl is not expected to survive, said police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.
Detectives arrested Jamison late Wednesday after his girlfriend’s family told 911 dispatchers he planned to leave town to escape arrest.
Spokane County District Court Judge Debra Hayes called the police description of the case “difficult for anyone to read” before ruling Jamison a flight risk Thursday. His bail was set at $200,000.
Jamison took Skyelynn to Providence Holy Family Hospital about noon Monday. That was hours after a doctor told him to bring the girl in immediately when Jamison said her eyes were “looking in different directions.” Doctors at Holy Family said the girl was in medical distress and rushed her to Sacred Heart.
Jamison denied hurting Skyelynn in an interview with detectives that day, but the next day, he reportedly described weeks of abuse sparked by Skyelynn crying.
Jamsion told police he got very frustrated a lost control when the baby started crying, according to documents prepared by detectives. “Tyler said starting in about mid March, he began using his fingers to pinch off Skyelynn’s windpipe when she would start crying.”
He cut off her breathing until she turned pale “a couple times a day until his fingernails started leaving scratches and cuts on Skyelynn’s skin,” according to the documents. He didn’t want anyone to notice what he was doing, so “he started cupping his hand over Skyelynn’s nose and mouth when she would cry.”
Jamison also reportedly told police that he sometimes squeezed Skylynn and may have broken ribs. Medics said the girl’s ribs appeared to have been broken at different times.
On Monday, the day Skyelynn was taken to the hospital, Jamison told police the baby began crying after he took her mother and his girlfriend, Kelsey Goble, to school about 7:30 a.m.
Jamison first pinched the girl’s windpipe until she was pale and her lips blue, then released his fingers but cupped his hand over her mouth and nose “for an unknown period of time,” according to court documents.
When he released his hand, Skyelynn’s eyes were looking in different directions and her breathing was raspy, authorities allege. Jamison told detectives he jabbed his finger against her chest to try to get her to breathe but that she was “very limp,” according to court documents.
Jamison picked up Goble about 10:30 a.m. and said their daughter’s eyes “had been acting funny and her breathing was not normal.” Skyelynn arrived at Holy Family about noon.
Skyelynn is the third Spokane baby in two years to suffer fatal injuries allegedly at the hands of a caretaker.
In March 2008, Nevaeh Alana Miller died after police say her mother’s boyfriend, Jereme J. Bassett, abused her. Bassett, 24, is scheduled for trial in June on one charge of second-degree murder.
In December 2008, Izayah Arlen Wayne Denison died at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend, Andrew W. Whitmire. Whitmire, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in November and is serving 14 years in prison.
Sex trafficking suspects released as probe continues 
misjustice on April 08 at 12:37 p.m.
Heart breaking…
bcougar1987 on April 08 at 12:39 p.m.
Horrible!! Like that is going to make a baby stop crying!!
Lizard_People on April 08 at 12:56 p.m.
Is this his myspace? www.myspace.com/lovinmygirlkels
Another_Perspective on April 08 at 12:58 p.m.
We have a problem in this country with Children having Children.
The obvious question is where is the mother and why didn’t she recognize his pattern of behavior.
and I thought parenting classes were easily available.
This is sad and ironically in time for Our Children, Our Business.
deacon46 on April 08 at 1:00 p.m.
Lock him and throw away the key……This is absolutely cruel behavior and not human at all.
bcougar1987 on April 08 at 1:16 p.m.
Check out his facebook page, I dont wanna post it, but if you search for him, he threatens somebody on his wall!
Lizard_People on April 08 at 1:16 p.m.
Actually, I regret my last post. It isn’t my job to be a supersleuth. I hope I can have that taken down.
misjustice on April 08 at 1:20 p.m.
Too late…I saw it; a reminder to set privacy settings.
Lizard, it’s okay…maybe the monitors will remove it..Addy?
Liz on April 08 at 1:51 p.m.
I’m with the person about the babies having babies. When I saw “assault” I visualized someone beating a baby or sexually abusing a baby. What actually happened coughed up a very different visual. It brought up people ill equipped for bringing up a baby because they are children themselves and probably not children with very many emotional resources to draw on.
My kids cried like crazy at times and I went outside and sat on the porch with the baby monitor. Left the baby in the crib for a few. I knew my limits and I knew it was better to leave the kid alone in a safe place for a few than for me to totally lose it.
Even looking at the guys myspace: the guy clearly loves his gf and the baby. He is just woefully ill equipped for fatherhood. Too bad stuff like this can’t be used to scare kids into keeping it in their pants. Or maybe it can. There is a reason that babies are for married adults. Not for horny unmarried teenagers.
It also makes a good case for applying a little more pressure to these kiddies to give up the baby to someone who actually has the emotional resources to be a parent.
addyh on April 08 at 2:03 p.m.
This is a new one to me. But after discussing with our online staff, we are not inclined to take down the post with the link to the purported Myspace page - it’s relevant and doesn’t violate our standards.
Liz on April 08 at 2:20 p.m.
I think the myspace page is quite relevant too. I also checked out the girlfriends myspace which linked from his.
I seriously hope that this situation is used to drive home to these kids what they are getting into when they make a baby. It’s not a small matter.
I’m willing to bet that these two didn’t have very good parenting themselves, either.
The whole thing is just plain sad.
jenilynn on April 08 at 2:43 p.m.
I hope he gets what he deserves. what kind of a person would do something like that to try to make a child quit crying. how about rocking them or something soothing. no lets resort to a violent act. nice. if only it were an eye for an eye, maybe just maybe, people would think before they acted.
Shylock13 on April 08 at 2:44 p.m.
Hope he goes to a maximum security prison. Inmates generally do not treat those who abuse/kill children kindly. He will have deserved what he gets.
spokereader on April 08 at 2:48 p.m.
If you search him on Facebook, he threatens to ‘beat’ a girl’s ass for calling him a baby killer…exactly the type of person that should be around children…
spokereader on April 08 at 2:52 p.m.
agreed jenilynn…less people would be strangling, drowning, or putting their children in the ovens…if it were an eye for an eye…i hope he gets the max allowable by law!
sunkissedcutie on April 08 at 4:56 p.m.
I have been following the story and the comments… Good call on the Judge as he is a flight risk…
As far as parenting of these two teens… I would say that you can’t judge a parent by how the kids act when they become young adults… They are going to do whatever they want to do… I do question was there any Family Support after the baby was born with this being a young set of parents and a newborn?
Also not all teens are bad parents… Some take the responsibility for their actions… I was one of those… I was 18 when my son was born, and 19 when the second son arrived.
I can not understand this young mans actions to his newborn daughter…I can’t even imagine that action with my babies. I picked them up and comforted them…
I certainly hope besides a maximium sentence that both parents of this little girl get some help psychologically.
In closing the whole story is about the young man…. yes he caused the injuries but why was he with the baby alone, where was the mother of the baby? A lot of unanswered questions, I am sure figure into this preventible tragedy…
leekinny on April 08 at 5:27 p.m.
Yea, children having children–more knowledge and access to birth control would help
What do we do about violence ? We’ve surrounded ourselves with, too much.
Dazzeetrader11 on April 08 at 5:37 p.m.
If he did this it’s a hangin offense in my book. Kids are sacred, innocent and helpless. He must be mind altered from drugs….noboyd could do this straight and still be human. Just terrible.
Eyes going in different directions surely means brain damage of some kind if that wasn’t there as a baseline. No matter, the guy’s a crud.
Dazzeetrader11 on April 08 at 5:44 p.m.
I must amend the above. I read the article and not the headline ( they can be so misleading). The Baby’s already brain dead…I wonder if a flatline EEG was done to support this conclusion. So sad…just tears me up when I see this. That 18 year old has much to answer for. You’d almost have to be a mutant to do this to a baby. Prayers for mom and baby..
Mr_Bloggy on April 08 at 6:01 p.m.
I guess Lizard People’s libertarian principles ends when he goes online and outs people and invades privacy.
As to the perp, I hope he ends up in hell and has a monstrous demon do all of that to him, plus dip him in a pool of sufuric acid on a daily basis for eternity.
wolfy on April 08 at 6:22 p.m.
I am so sorry for that baby girl. He has been doing this since mid March. Why and how did the mom not know that the little girl was bruised and broken? That is a big question on my mind. I can gaurantee I would have known had my infant had a bruise and found out why after the first one. So why did mom not know? Little angel so small and sweet run fast on your little feet. Fast to the arms of your loving Lord where you will sing a lovely cord. No more pain nor more fear just lots of love my little dear.
Another_Perspective on April 09 at 2:51 a.m.
I almost didnt post this, but the parallet to what the baby suffered and what the SPD did to Otto Zehm cant be overlooked.
Suffocation preceeded by a beating, and why isn’t some of the SPD perps in jail?
ChefGus/ John Olsen on April 09 at 6:45 a.m.
So I came to this just this morning…. wondering where the other adults were in this child’s life.. and why CPS was not called, perhaps even before delivery? john
holliemadison on April 09 at 7:33 a.m.
I looked at his myspace page. On March 11 the mother posted that the doctor said her bruising could be an iron deficiency. She said she hoped nothing was “too bad wrong with her.” I wonder if she was actually seen by a doctor or if it was a call in? This is just so sad. An innocent little baby didn’t deserve this.
BitofBacon on April 09 at 8:55 a.m.
Another_Perspective-Maybe because the baby wasn’t a suspect in a possible crime?
Spokane381 on April 09 at 8:56 a.m.
We provide foster care respite and I can assure that there are many other children in Spokane that suffer the same type of abuse. We need to be there as a community for these children. Report signs of abuse and spread the word about community resources like the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery that provides free parenting classes, counseling, free parenting advice and free child care as well as food, diapers and more. People that care enough to be there for these children and places like the crisis nursery do save the lives of these helpless children. http://www.vanessabehan.org/default.aspx
Erik_T on April 10 at 2:14 a.m.
Stupidity, and under-educated youth at its finest. We should expect to see much more of the same in the coming years.
God bless you young child. You are in God’s hands now.
Love,
Erik
sunkissedcutie on April 10 at 12:38 p.m.
I just wanted to acknowledge Spokane381’s post… Altho it is too late for this baby girl I say this with a very sadden and heavy heart… I do want to recognize that your post actually gives some info that maybe some others will benefit from and one less child will fall victim to these unforgiveable acts of violence and abuse on Gods lil Angels.. It is a priviledge to be a parent and more young people should be mandated by local County and Community Actions to attend such classes.. Most first time parents worry about the Birthing Class they need.. Why can’t parenting Classes also be part of the process for young teens that get pregnant. Erik said it tooo…. under-educated young people will result in more incidents such as Skyelynn and even with children older than this tiny infant.
You have to pass a drivers test to get a license… I think young parents should have to attend an pass a course in parenting to have the right to take care of their newborn. Then if another Skyelynn comes along with education on parenting done they should throw the book at the abusers. Obviously free birth control has not been working.. Just food for thought.
My thoughts and prayers are still with young Skyelynn.
God Bless you sweet baby girl!
skwscrod on April 10 at 9:08 p.m.
Now that the sensationalism is over no one seems to be paying attention, but Jereme Bassett pled guilty to the murder of Neveah, as well as to assaulting her older brother the same day this story posted. Sentencing is scheduled for May 3rd @ 3 PM.
sunkissedcutie on April 11 at 1:36 p.m.
I do believe that pizzashop above in the comment area is not relative to the subject of this thread. Pizza shop is promoting their site via a public forum to get free advertising. Is anyone following this forum since the story was reported?
I check back at least once a day if not more… I don’t reside in the Spokane Area so I read your paper via the internet..
Just thought I would bring this to the moderators attention….
Keeping Skyelynn in my prayers and awaiting the outcome of this monsterous crime on April 13th.
meghannc on April 12 at 11:04 a.m.
Pizza Shop’s spam posting has been removed.
proudteenmom on April 12 at 11:28 a.m.
I’m a proud young mother with two beautiful kids. The people who decide that “babies having babies” is a fact in this horrible incident is terrible to say. I agree that he should be thrown away, but to place partial blame on the mother? Or the parents of Tyler? Completely unacceptable. The parents of people who steal, rape, or murder arent blamed for their childs behavior are they? The only person to blame this matter on, is the sole person who decided in his mind to do such a thing. The people who decide to judge his family, and search his myspace and facebook need a life. If you have nothing better to do with your day, go find something productive other then recieving happiness by downgrading a family that you know nothing about other than this story. Think about the pain, hurt, and suffering of the rest of Skyelynn’s family. If you would please take your attention off of Tyler, and focus more on the recovery of this beautiful baby, my family would greatly appreciate it. We need all the prayers we can get.
This baby is part of my family, and to sit and read your comments is heartbreaking. Please understand that we know the situation, but baby Skelynn needs the weight of the world’s faith and hope on her side.
AlaskanJules on April 15 at 11:15 a.m.
I can’t find his facebook page anyone have the link?
Gabriele on April 15 at 3:44 p.m.
I’ve read those comments, and I have to agree with some of you that this is a horrible thing to do to a child or any human being for that matter. My heart and prayers go out to this little girl right now. Its a shame that anyone can do such a thing to an innocent child for his crying only. Hey Tyler what you thought a 2 month old would do? I tell you; They cry, eat, sleep and soil their diapers. You did the same thing while you were her age but your momma apparently tolerated all of your crying, because you are still in this world, but your baby girl isn’t. She deserved the same chance you were given, to grow up. But you had to take that chance away from her. Anyway you will get your time for crying once they lock you up ,hopefully into general population and not isolation (you will know what I’m talking about once you get there).
What I dont agree with is the fact, that children should not have children, or that only married adults should have babies. Because violence to a child is an individuals doing no matter what age, maturity, race, heritage or upbringing. My daughter had 3 babies before she even was 21, and all of them are well and taken care off without any mistreatment. So its all up to the individual’s character and mind to love their children without doing harm to them. And anyone thats doing such cruellty to their child should definitely not say they love their child or publish his love on the internet. Thats fake and bull…. ! He dont even know what love is. If he did, his child would be healthy and safe now and be at home with her momma and fam. May God give the family the hope and strenght to go thru this difficult time right now. God bless you lil girl.
yikes on April 15 at 11:52 p.m.
So sad. I cannot imagine what kind of worthless pig it takes to do something so disgusting to a baby/child. So, so horrible. Poor baby.