CHILD ABUSER GOES TO PRISON

(Walhalla, SC). After a jury was selected this morning in Oconee County General Sessions Court, the Honorable Alex Macaulay accepted a plea from twenty-one year old Michael Daniels for injuring his 10-week old son in March of 2008. Judge Macaulay sentenced Daniels to 6 years on 3 charges of Unlawful Conduct towards a Child, and 20 years suspended to 6 years in prison and 5 years probation on 3 charges of Inflicting Great Bodily Injury to a Child. All sentences are to be served concurrently. Daniels will be placed on the Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect. 

On March 3, 2008, 10-week old Michael Isaiah Daniels was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital with bruising and eye-swelling by his mother. Upon examination, the child was found to have 20 rib fractures and 7 leg fractures and a torn lip. 

Both the child’s mother and father were interviewed by Walhalla Police Department. The defendant initially told law enforcement that the child had fallen off the bed but later confessed to having anger management and drug abuse problems. He admitted to grabbing the child around the ribs and shaking him on 3 separate occasions between February 15th and March 3 of 2008.

“We asked for the maximum sentence in this case because we believed the heinousness of the defendant’s actions warranted it. We are disappointed in the Judge’s sentencing but respect the decision. Our office will continue to seek the maximum sentence in serious incidents of child abuse such as this one. It is a blessing to know that even after all this little boy has been through, he appears to have suffered no permanent injuries. He is two years old now and thriving.” Solicitor Chrissy Adams.