Jace McDaniel may be the most adorable toddler in this region, if not the entire state. As I watched the 9-month-old boy play with his toys, I couldn’t comprehend how someone could harm him in any way. Especially months ago when he was just five weeks old. Especially under the care of his mother, according to police. In early January, Jace was taken to St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point for a swollen and deformed arm. Doctors there detected signs of abuse on his tiny body and contacted the authorities. The boy was transported to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis where more tests were done. Results showed several bone fractures in his ribs, arms and legs, up to 16 in all, and they were healing injuries, meaning the abuse took place several days earlier. Jace was under the care of his mother and her boyfriend at that time, police determined. His mother, Faith McDaniel, 19, initially said she did not know what happened to her baby — even after a skeletal survey revealed several fractures unrelated to Jace’s birth, and X-rays confirmed the abuse, according to police After being questioned by police, McDaniel, of Wheatfield, and her boyfriend, Robert Rumback, 23, of Rensselaer, admitted that they injured the baby out of frustration because he wouldn’t sleep. It’s a common excuse from new parents who abuse babies, whether through shaking, hitting or squeezing their frail body. Like I said, it’s an excuse, not an explanation, let alone a reason to harm a child. Too many new parents are simply not prepared — emotionally, physically, psychologically — to care for a baby or a child. Look at them, some can’t take care of themselves. Not to mention too many ill-advised guardians and caregivers, including those part-time “it’s just for a couple of hours” baby-sitters. The Indiana Department of Child Services placed Jace in a Jasper County foster home while police interviewed his maternal grandparents, Angela McDaniel and Brian McDaniel. They denied having any knowledge of the boy’s injuries though they baby-sat for Jace after the abuse took place while his mother was in the hospital for gallbladder issues. The baby’s medical report identified “injuries consistently 10 to 14 days old,” allegedly caused when Jace and his mother were staying at Rumback’s home. Rumback later admitted to police that he jerked Jace by his arms out of a playpen, hard enough to possibly break the baby’s arm, and he squeezed his torso hard enough to possibly break ribs. After her hospital stay, Jace’s mother took him to a doctor because of his deformed and swollen arm, police reported. Only God knows how much pain the infant felt over those two weeks due to the fractures. “Who would do such a thing to an innocent baby?” asked Adam Gilbert, the baby’s biological father. Gilbert had a relationship with McDaniel and found out she was pregnant when they broke up, he said. He wasn’t told for sure that he was the father until notified about Jace’s abuse from police and DCS. A paternity test confirmed it three months after the abuse occurred. Since finding out, Gilbert has asked for custody of his only child, with support from his family, including Jace’s paternal grandparents, Jim and Valerie McGlothen, of Portage, whom Gilbert lives with. A court battle looms against McDaniel and her mother, who currently cares for Jace in her Jasper County home. “Jace’s maternal grandparents don’t live together. They’re divorced, but he watches Jace while she works,” Valerie McGlothen said. McDaniel is in jail, having been arrested for battery in January with Rumback. They remain incarcerated until an upcoming sentencing hearing. In June, they pleaded guilty to their role in the baby’s abuse. Gilbert and his family want prison time for the couple. The next court hearing is Sept. 29 to determine whether their plea agreement will be accepted by a judge. “They should serve a minimum of four years,” Jim McGlothen told me while cradling Jace in his arms. “If (McDaniel) gets released on probation, she’ll live with her mother again and with Jace. “Back in January, we didn’t even know Jace was Adam’s son, so we weren’t yet approved for placement,” he explained. “We are now. And all we’re asking for is one thing — justice for Jace.” Gilbert and his family get visitation with Jace twice a week, with one of those days under supervision of a DCS representative in their Portage home. DCS has given Gilbert strict criteria to meet before he can have custody of his son, and his family insists that they will provide the care Jace needs. “Up here, Jace will have me, his grandparents, his aunt, his cousins and other family,” said Gilbert, who is engaged to be married with another child on the way. Jace, a 22-pound butterball, crawled all over his father while Gilbert pleaded his case to me. “I did nothing wrong. I didn’t even know I was Jace’s father for sure until well after he was born,” he said. “I just want custody of my son, my flesh and blood. Give me my son.” Listen to Adam Gilbert in his words. Watch my video at posttrib.suntimes/news/davich/index.html.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:58:36 +0000