Man gets 11-year split term in son's death
A former Gary man got an 11-year split term Tuesday for his baby son's death.
His lawyer Patrick Young said Devon Howard was caring for four kids on his own, including two born addicted to drugs.
Howard wasn't watching when one of the children placed the baby on a top bunk bed, who fell off. The child, Devon Howard, Jr., only 23 days old, was taken to Methodist Northlake before he was later airlifted to the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
A Lake County Metro Homicide Detective was called at 3:40 a.m. April 29, 2022, to an apartment on the 5800 block of Cypress Avenue in Gary for an unresponsive child. Howard, Sr. told dispatchers his son was 'possibly choking' or making a 'strange noise' that started the day before, according to the affidavit.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office told Indiana investigators that a Comer's doctor found the boy was hemorrhaging in his brain. It was a 'non-accidental injury,' she concluded.
Howard told police his son started fussing the day before and he tried to soothe him by changing his diaper and making a warm bottle. He propped up the bottle by the boy so he could keep eating, then went into another room to pick up a phone conversation with a relative, according to court records.
A half-hour later, the child was 'screaming' and 'trying to turn over,' he told police.
As he started CPR, the child was gasping for air, he told investigators. He called 911 and paramedics came quickly, Howard said.
His client was 'not equipped' to handle that many children on his own, Young said. It was a 'sad situation.'
Howard, 28, admitted July 24 to neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 3 felony, court records show.
Judge Gina Jones sentenced him to 11 years — he would have to serve seven, then can petition with good behavior to go to Lake County's community transition court, modify his sentence and get out early.
He faced up to 16 years in prison.
'I don't want to punish you for the circumstances you find yourself in,' Jones said. 'There has to be a consequence.'
He is required to get a GED in prison, attend anger management, parenting classes, and substance abuse counseling.
Howard indicated he will appeal.
In court earlier, he asked Jones for 'mercy,' saying he never wanted to 'bring any harm' to his kids.
Jones said the plea deal was a compromise due to various 'holes' in the case.
Deputy Prosecutor Judy Massa was assigned.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
UK bans ‘dangerous' porn category depicting this violent act: ‘Real life consequences for women'
The UK has banned pornography that depicts a violent act in a bid to stop the growing epidemic of violence against women and girls. The government announced it will criminalize pornography that depicts acts of strangulation. This comes after the Independent Porn Review, which was conducted by Baroness Gabby Bertin. Advertisement The review found that pornography has effectively made strangulation a 'sexual norm' and a 'safe' act to engage in. The amendment will be made to the Crime and Policing Bill. Alex Davies-Jones, Minister for Victims and tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, said: 'Depicting strangulation during sex is not only dangerous, but also degrading, with real life consequences for women. The UK is criminalizing pornography that features acts of strangulation. fizkes – Advertisement 'Cracking down on the appalling rise of strangulation pornography will protect women and send a clear signal to men and boys that misogyny will not be tolerated.' Meanwhile Andrea Simon, the director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) said the organization welcomed the government's decision after EVAW's years of campaigning. 'There is no such thing as safe strangulation; women cannot consent to the long-term harm it can cause, including impaired cognitive functioning and memory. Its widespread portrayal in porn is fueling dangerous behaviors, particularly among young people,' she said. 'This is a vital step towards recognizing the role violent pornography plays in shaping attitudes to women and regulating an industry which promotes and profits from violence against women.'
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
3 killed, 1 injured in Far South Side head-on collision
A head-on collision in the South Deering neighborhood overnight Sunday left a passenger as the sole survivor, police said. Two Dodge Challengers, one red and one black, were traveling in opposite directions toward each other on the same side of the street when the drivers crashed head-on on the 11200 block of South Stony Island Avenue at around 3 a.m. The 20-year-old driver of the red car was pronounced dead on the scene and his passenger, also 20, was transported to University of Chicago hospital in fair condition. The 21-year-old man who was the driver of the black car and the 19-year-old woman who was riding with him were both pronounced on the scene. Police are investigating the crash.
USA Today
17 hours ago
- USA Today
Jon Jones says 'reflection' led to UFC retirement –\u00a0as news breaks of more legal trouble
In his social media history, Jon Jones has earned a reputation for tweeting, then deleting. But it seems like this one will stick. Saturday, not long after UFC CEO Dana White announced Jones had called him to announce his retirement the night before, Jones posted on social media to confirm he has decided to walk away from the sport. Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) had been playing a cat-and-mouse game with interim champion Tom Aspinall, who has been elevated to undisputed champion. After White's announcement at the UFC on ABC 8 post-fight news conference, Jones posted a message saying he was leaving "after a lot of reflection." But not long after that post, news broke online from the Albuquerque Journal, the largest news outlet in the city Jones has lived and trained in for years, that Jones once again is in legal trouble. According to the report, there is a criminal summons accusing Jones of leaving the scene of an accident. He is scheduled for a bond arraignment July 24, the Journal reported. The details of the criminal complaint reported by the Journal include accusations that Jones left the scene of a crash with a half-naked and intoxicated woman in the car, and when reached by phone, a man thought to be Jones made "allusions to violence" to multiple police officials. After the crash, according to the police complaint, Jones called the woman's phone more than a dozen times and also sent text messages. The woman said she drank at Jones' house and took mushrooms there, then next recalled being in a car crash after Jones allegedly was driving. In 2015, Jones was arrested for a felony hit-and-run involving a pregnant woman. He pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. He had a DWI conviction in 2012. He had another in 2020 that came with gun charges, later dropped in a plea deal, in the early days of the COVID pandemic. Jones is the first fighter in UFC history to twice be stripped of titles, and he threw in a third for good measure. The first was for his hit-and-run while he was light heavyweight champion. The second was for his first doping violation the following year. In a rematch win over Daniel Cormier in 2017, he failed a drug test for steroids in California and was suspended again – and stripped of a title again. In 2021, after a domestic violence arrest in Las Vegas the night after he went into the UFC Hall of Fame, his longtime team at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque gave him the boot and no longer wanted to be associated with him. He was sentenced to anger management classes in 2024 after an alleged altercation with a drug sample collection agent. In 2019, he pled no contest to charges of battery against a strip club waitress. His supporters, of course, say that he also won fights – which is true. He was the youngest champion in UFC history at 23 and holds a host of promotional records. His retirement statement, below, said he had gratitude for his "journey."
