MI - Jammael Franklin, 8 mos, drowned in bathtub, Ypsilanti, 22 July 2006

[ljwf22]

This is just unbelievable! From today's Detroit Free Press:

Baby drowns; police say father fell asleep

BY ZLATI MEYER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A 27-year-old Ypsilanti man is scheduled to be arraigned today on involuntary manslaughter and child neglect charges for leaving his three children alone in a bathtub while he fell asleep in front of a television Saturday.
The youngest, an 8-month-old boy, drowned, according to the autopsy conducted Sunday.
When his 3-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son shook him awake around 5 p.m., he heard water overflowing from the tub onto the floor of Room 18 of the Harmony House Motel, 615 E. Michigan, investigators said Sunday. Police have not released the man's name.
Ypsilanti police say the man found the baby floating and carried him to the hotel office and left him.
"He had put them in the tub, not necessarily to give them a bath, but to give them something to do," Police Lt. Craig Annas said Sunday. Police said the kids were watching TV, but their dad wanted to watch something else.
~~snip~~
When police knocked at the door of Room 18, the man said he wasn't the child's father, though detectives determined he was.

A bit more at the link:http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS05/607240385&SearchID=73251659979895

This is so sick!

 

[Jules]

OMG!!!!

How awful.... those poor babies.... I'm speechless....

 

[CrimeHater]

Look - your child just drowned... and now you not going to admit to being the baby's father. It gets even sicker!!

 

[ljwf22]

Our paper, but not the website article, said after the bit about carrying the baby to the hotel office and left him there: "A person who called 911 reported seeing the baby on the pavement in front of the hotel office." I just can't believe this! :furious:

 

[2beautifulboys]

just sickening, was the damn tv show worth your babies life, not to mention the other poor babies who were obviously neglected as well. How sad that they are too young to understand they witnessed the death of their sibling due to their father's neglect and selfishness.

String him up at the town square and hang him, the kids are obviously better off without him, well at least 2 of them are. This is just so sad for these babies.

 

[southcitymom]

This story enrages me on so many levels. Thank God the 2 and 3-year-old survived, but back into what type of life, I don't know.

Any updates on this case? Did he truly leave this infant's body in front of the hotel?

To put a 10-month old in a bathtub and fall asleep is tantamount to putting her in the hotel swimming pool and driving around the corner to buy a case of beer.

 

[michelle]

I am totally speechless. Nothing against men, because my DH is awesome. But when our son was a baby I always did the bathing for the simple fact that my hubby can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and I am NOT taking a chance!!!

 

[SewingDeb]

OMG!!!!

How awful.... those poor babies.... I'm speechless....

You'll really be speechless when you read this from the mother.

Drowned child's mother says partner shouldn't be blamed for 'big accident'

The mother of an 8-month-old Ypsilanti boy who drowned in his father's care over the weekend stood behind the man in court Tuesday as he was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Amanda Ward, mother of Jammael Franklin, who died Saturday at an Ypsilanti motel, disputed police claims of what happened while the baby and his 2-year-old brother and 3-year-old sister were taking a bath.

Ward said the children's' father, Jason L. Franklin, 29, "is the best dad to these three kids. They mean everything to him. This was a big accident.''


and

Police found the naked baby lying on the concrete in front of the office at the Harmony House Motel, where the family was living temporarily.

~more at link~

 

[CrimeHater]

Regardless of what he is saying... accident or no accident... he left that baby and 2 others alone- NOT watching them, long enough for a tragic death to occur. Accident or no accident you have to face responsibility for your actions. And even worse denying that it was his child (even if stressed) is something that is sick. I could never, NEVER do that to my child no matter what state of mind I was in!!

 

[SewingDeb]

Regardless of what he is saying... accident or no accident... he left that baby and 2 others alone- NOT watching them, long enough for a tragic death to occur. Accident or no accident you have to face responsibility for your actions. And even worse denying that it was his child (even if stressed) is something that is sick. I could never, NEVER do that to my child no matter what state of mind I was in!!

I couldn't deny my child either. That just makes it worse.

Apparently he is/was heavily involved in drugs. They were actually living at the hotel.

 

[southcitymom]

You'll really be speechless when you read this from the mother.

Thanks for the link, Sewing Deb. It fleshes things out a bit more. This is so very sad. So much tragedy in this family's life.

I can buy that the 2 year old turned the water on again after the tub had been drained and I get how exhausting parenting 3 small children can be, BUT you can't go to sleep when you are in charge of an 8-month old, a 2 year old and a 3 year old, whether they are in the bathtub or not. Everything is dangerous to children that age.

 

[SewingDeb]

Thanks for the link, Sewing Deb. It fleshes things out a bit more. This is so very sad. So much tragedy in this family's life.

I can buy that the 2 year old turned the water on again after the tub had been drained and I get how exhausting parenting 3 small children can be, BUT you can't go to sleep when you are in charge of an 8-month old, a 2 year old and a 3 year old, whether they are in the bathtub or not. Everything is dangerous to children that age.

You're welcome. It does explain a little more. I wonder if they tested him for drugs at the time.

 

[southcitymom]

You're welcome. It does explain a little more. I wonder if they tested him for drugs at the time.

With his history, I am sure they must have. Using drugs would certainly be one explanation of how a grown man fell asleep with 3 babies under his watch. Addiction is at the heart of so many of these awful crimes.

 

[SewingDeb]

It really is and it is such a shame when drugs are more important that the children.

 

[less0305]

Thanks for the link, Sewing Deb. It fleshes things out a bit more. This is so very sad. So much tragedy in this family's life.

I can buy that the 2 year old turned the water on again after the tub had been drained and I get how exhausting parenting 3 small children can be, BUT you can't go to sleep when you are in charge of an 8-month old, a 2 year old and a 3 year old, whether they are in the bathtub or not. Everything is dangerous to children that age.

A 2yearold not being watched turning on water in the bathtub could have scalded himself or his siblings. Who let's a 2yearold turn on the water in a bathtub by themselves? Sounds like she's let the 2yearold do this before herself....she needs her azzz kicked every which way but loose.

 

[Amraann]

nice little scape goat the 2 YO makes huh??


Bottom line is responsible parents don't have drug warrants out for their arrest nor live in hotel rooms nor confuse crack for nurses.

I don't think in light of the fathers history ist is an extreme leap to think he did not watch those children. It would be IMO more unlikely that he watched them so diligently.

 

[southcitymom]

nice little scape goat the 2 YO makes huh??


Bottom line is responsible parents don't have drug warrants out for their arrest nor live in hotel rooms nor confuse crack for nurses.

I don't think in light of the fathers history ist is an extreme leap to think he did not watch those children. It would be IMO more unlikely that he watched them so diligently.

Well said!

 

[Amraann]

The sad thing is in either sceanrio this father was not supervising three very young children.

Wheather it be he put them in the tub to watch tv or he simply fell asleep and somehow the 8 month old got in the tub and the two Yo turned it on??
Either way it equates to gross neglect on his part.

For the mother to justify it either way only shows that it was probably ok in her mind to leave the children unattended. She further justifies his lying about the child being his by saying he had warrants...

Lets get this straight... Your child just drowned due to your own neglect and your first notion is to save your own butt? He is soo cold and calculating that he has the mind to lie to police about the child being his wihtout what even remotly appears like remorse for the loss of his son yet we are suppose to believe he was this great dad??

OK yeah SURE!! and I have a bridge in NY to sell you.....

 

[Belinda]

Jason Levar Franklin

Guilty Plea
Location: Marquette Branch Prison
Sentence Date: 03/07/2007

Offense: Involuntary Manslaughter
Sentence: 5 years - 15 years

Earliest Release Date: 07/21/2011
Maximum Release Date: 07/21/2021

 

[2goldfish]

I have to complain again. why isnt this second degree murder? did he plea out, it looks like?


cause maybe it's just me but leaving a 10 month old, 2 and three year old alone in water......duh? is there ever a time that wont end in tragedy?