Georgia Parents Received a Surprisingly Lenient Sentence Despite the Severity of Their Newborn Child’s Abuse
Following a six-day trial and five hours of jury deliberation, Tarilyn Allie Lester Alexander and Joseph Tyler Alexander, parents from Pike County, Georgia, have been found guilty on 12 of 16 counts connected to the disturbing mistreatment of their eight-week-old son.
In a surprising turn of events, Griffin Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Ben Miller Jr. handed down a sentence of 18 months of incarceration and 15 years probation, despite the possibility of facing up to 240 years in prison.
A statement from Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie Broder revealed that the victim had endured severe abuse on numerous occasions, as uncovered by the investigation. The defendants failed to provide any explanation for the multiple injuries, whether intentional or accidental.
According to a report by Fox 5 Atlanta, evidence presented in court revealed disturbing injuries to the boy, including bruising on his face and genitals, as well as multiple broken bones and hemorrhages in both eyes.
After spending more than a week in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, expert testimony has dismissed any connection between the injuries and the newborn.
The Mayo Clinic explains that this syndrome is a collection of genetic disorders that impact various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, and blood vessels. Individuals with this syndrome typically experience excessively flexible joints and delicate, stretchy skin.
According to Broder’s statement, medical professionals from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have determined that the victim’s injuries are consistent with non-accidental trauma.
She provided a detailed account of the expert witnesses called to testify, which included 11 treating doctors and one pediatric nurse practitioner. These medical professionals were affiliated with hospital systems such as Children’s Healthcare, Emory, Navicent, and Piedmont.
Experts unanimously agreed that the victim’s injuries could only be explained by abuse. Multiple doctors specializing in hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have testified that the condition does not result in the same injuries experienced by the victim.
