Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In another sad example of how the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare has failed to protect the most vulnerable children of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a 29-year–old mother of five has now been charged with Child Neglect Causing Death, more than two years after she allegedly allowed her 7-month-old daughter to starve to death. Citing “issues in completing and acquiring medical examiner’s and other doctors’ reports,” the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office has charged the mother, however, the father has not been charged. According to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin criminal complaint, local police found no baby food in the house other than an empty can of infant formula, but the parents spent as much as $500 per month on gambling. The parents allegedly spent the day after the child’s death at a local casino. The mother received state assistance, food stamps and SSI benefits. Although a 9-year-old sibling was being monitored under a court order, and child welfare caseworkers and a therapist made visits to the family’s alleged “filthy, roach-infested home” to check on the older child, it does not appear as though they were aware of the issues and services which were to be provided to the younger child. The deceased child, Layunnia Lewis, was born 14 weeks premature and suffering from herpes, weighing 4 3/4 pounds, and weighed only 5 1/2 pounds when she died at 7 months of age. An independent review panel report noted that “for some portion of time that the safety services case was open [for the younger child], neither the ongoing worker [for the older child] nor the safety service worker knew of their co-worker’s involvement with the family.”
A 20 year man with a painted face, bulletproof vest, and an 8 inch knife entered the “Fabeltjesland” — Fairytale Land – Day Care Center in Brussels, Belgium. Upon entry into the facility, the suspect currently identified as “Kim D.” started stabbing and slashing at the children and day care workers. The suspect murdered a 9 month old, a 6 month old, and a day care worker.
A mother of a five month old was recently given a five year prison term for drowning her own child in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Arkisha Johnson was brought into a Wisconsin courtroom to receive her sentence. Arkisha Johnson is brought into the courtroom Wednesday for sentencing for drowning her 5-month-old son, Will, last year. This is a tragic story for the mother, child, the family and the community.
In Tacoma, Washington, a 6 year old boy -Sebastian Hizey – died when parts from a red monster truck came flying into the stand and hit the little boy. Another spectator was injured as well. The monster truck was spinning around doing donuts when parts flew 30 to 50 feet beyond and over safety barriers into the stands.
In the Georgia and other states around the nation, there are negligence, liability, or fault laws in place. Some States have more favorable laws and rulings in place that others for children and families seeking compensation for personal injuries / wrongful death than others. A Georgia Court of Appeals decision in June 2008 ruled that the family of a child who drowned and died could not recover compensation from the apartment complex / property owner. The Georgia Court ruled in favor of the apartment complex owner since the Court determined that the child knew or should have known of the danger of the swimming pool when the child entered the apartment complex pool. The Georgia Court put the responsibility of the incident the child rather than the apartment complex. The ruling was made in the case – Rice v. Oaks Investors, II, Georgia Court of Appeals, A08A0434 (June, 26, 2008).
Joshua Lee Phillips, a 16 year old, died recently when he was hit by a train in Cramerton, North Carolina. The conductor of the train saw Joshua and blew the warning horn. Unfortunately, Joshua did not hear the warning horn as he was listening to his MP 3 player. It appears that Joshua was listening to his MP 3 player too loudly at the time of the tragedy. Joshua was walking home from South Point High School in Cramerton, North Carolina when the incident took place.
Thousands of children are abused and neglected every year in the State of Connecticut. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau reported that 13,285 incidents of child abuse took place in 2004. You can read more about these statistics and more at
The Maine Child Death and Serious Injury Review Panel was established by Maine State Statutes to study the causes and incidents of serious injuries and child deaths in the State of Maine. The Panel reviewed 45 deaths deaths and serious injuries that took place between 1998 and 2003. The Panel is mandated by Maine Statutes. The Panel has a very small staff and has many cases to review. When there is a child death or serious injury in Maine, a personal injury attorney and law firm can also help investigate the cause and manner of death or serious personal injury. Many children in Maine and the New England area are the unfortunate victims of serious injury or death from automobile accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, bus accidents, drownings, head traumas, accident and intentional shootings, and abuse / neglect.