An Avon Park toddler is in critical condition, and a police officer is in jail on child abuse charges... According to doctors, the use of extremely high force on the girl's head caused the severe injury to the skull... Parker was also arrested in June 26, 2004 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his former wife. He entered into a diversion program and the States Attorney's Office eventually deferred prosecution...TODDLER BADLY HURT; OFFICER JAILED IN CASE
The Ledger
Monday, March 30, 2009
[Excerpts] An Avon Park toddler is in critical condition, and a police officer is in jail on child abuse charges, according to the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Avon Park Officer James H. Parker, 32, is accused of injuring his girlfriend's 20-month-old daughter, who is now at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg... The girl was taken to Highlands Regional Medical Center about 12:45 a.m. Sunday, and detectives were called to the emergency room about 45 minutes later because she had multiple bruises on her body and a skull fracture, according to the Sheriff's Office. The girl's mother and Parker live together, and the mother was at work when the girl was injured. Parker told investigators the child fell and hit her head on a table... [Full article here]
AVON PARK POLICE OFFICER JAMES H. PARKER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED CHILD ABUSE OF HIS GIRLFRIEND'S 20-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER.
Tampa Tribune
By Joe Seelig and MARC VALERO
March 30, 2009
[Excerpts] Avon Park police officer James Hilton Parker III remained in Highlands County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond Monday, after being charged Sunday with aggravated child abuse of the 20-month-old baby girl of his live-in girlfriend. The child, who had multiple bruises over her body and an apparent fractured skull, was on life support Monday at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, according to the sheriff's office. She remained in "very very critical condition," according to Sheriff's Capt. Randy LaBelle. Parker, 32, of Sebring, was arrested at 1:18 p.m. Sunday at his home, hours after he and the child's mother brought the girl in at 12:45 that morning to Highlands Regional Medical Center in Sebring. Parker reportedly called the child's mother between 12:15 and 12:30 a.m. Sunday to tell her the girl was "not acting right"... Doctors told detectives the child suffered multiple skull fractures, according to a sheriff's news release... The child was listed in very critical condition Sunday evening after undergoing surgery, the sheriff's report stated. According to doctors, the use of extremely high force on the girl's head caused the severe injury to the skull, the report stated... The case continues to be investigated jointly by the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Unit and the Special Victims Unit along with the state Department of Children & Families... Parker was also arrested in June 26, 2004 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his former wife. He entered into a diversion program and the States Attorney's Office eventually deferred prosecution. Parker, then 27, was reinstated in late July 2004 after completing a two-day suspension without pay, according to former Police Chief Frank Mercurio in a previous report. When Parker attended his arraignment on July 19, 2004, his ex wife withdrew charges, Mercurio said. A deferred prosecution agreement was signed in lieu of Parker attending an anger management program for 12 weeks. All criminal charges were dismissed after he successfully completed the class. Parker was initially held Sunday without bond. Monday afternoon, bond was set at $250,000, along with conditions that include... [Full article here]
INJURED BABY CONTINUES TO BE VERY CRITICAL
Highlands Today
By MARC VALERO
April 1, 2009
[Excerpts] A 20-month-old girl, who authorities believe was injured while in the care of an Avon Park police officer, remains hospitalized in very critical condition Wednesday, according to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office [Full article here]
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It would truly be more honorable to wait until a determination of guilty before posting and jumping to conclusions about the guilt of James Parker. While he was a police officer with marks against him, those marks do not make a murderer or a bottom-feeding child abuser. Nowhere do you mention that he is a single dad who raised a his own daughter on his own because his ex-wife is unstable(actually attacked him during their conflict and is reported to have stolen police gear from him) and his daughter adored him with no history of abuse; nowhere do you mention that that Kadeyn Short had a history of accidents and bruising prior to living with Parker and nowhere do you mention the countless people Parker helped serving as an office. I commend your intentions with your website and I believe that abusers should be publicly held for their crimes, but placing Parker's case on this website is presumptuous and the time has not come to lump him in with the murders and child abusers out there.
ReplyDeleteHe and his ex-wife had JOINT custody of their daughter. She stayed with dad to remain in the school system. As to mom being unstable, read the other DV report. He was attempting to take HER credit card from her and she took his glasses off of his face so he couldn't see well. The incident that got him arrested was witnessed by her children--he choked her up against the wall. As for the stolen gear--she took his duty weapon because she feared he would use it on her--he had already threatened her with it--from his lips to my ears. Can you say restraining order?!
DeleteThe truth rose to the surface. Those who defend him will do so until they die. The ex does not appear "unstable" because of that comment. It just looks like a family member of Parker who can't see the truth because it's too painful for them. If Parker isn't capable of hurting a child then why did a fellow officer testify against him in court that Parker said he beat little Kaedyn? Why did Parker have to have so many conflicting stories of what happened. I am glad that Parkers ex and daughter are ok. I hope the mother regains full custody now and puts limits on any visits with his family members unless they are accepting of the facts.
DeleteWho jumped to conclusions?
ReplyDeleteSo HOW DID she get skull fractures and bruises??????? They didn't just miraculously appear. Who's care was she in? Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteSUNDAY, JULY 3, 2011
ReplyDelete[FL] Ex-Officer Parker re-indicted for the death of his girlfriend's toddler, Kaedyn Short
http://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/2011/07/fl-ex-officer-parker-re-indicted-for.html
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James Hilton Parker
JTR JURY TRIAL 02/13/2012 - 08:30 AM COWDEN, ANGELA J. 12/19/2011
PTC PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE 02/23/2012 - 08:30 AM COWDEN, ANGELA J. M
http://courts.hcclerk.org/iquery/default.aspx
[FL] Jury finds Avon Police Officer James Parker did murder his girlfriend's toddler, Kaedyn Short
ReplyDeletehttp://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/2012/09/fl-jury-finds-avon-police-officer.html