Man Charged With Allegedly Beating Infant Son
YORKVILLE, Ill. (STMW) -- A 21-year-old west suburban Yorkville man is facing nearly a dozen felony charges for beating his infant child, Kendall County Court records show.
John Burton, of the 2100 block of Bluebird Lane, was indicted on eight Class X felonies and four Class 3 felonies on Wednesday, stemming from an April 27, 2013 incident that left his infant son severely injured, the Beacon News is reporting.
According to court records, Burton allegedly injured the boy's head, causing multiple hemorrhages and neurological symptoms. He has also been charged with shaking the child and fracturing the baby's femur bone. Charges were filed on Jan. 7.
Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis said Burton is in the Department of Corrections on a unrelated charge. His bond in this case was set at $100,000.
"Sometimes, in these types of cases, especially with medical testimony and opinions that need to be reviewed, filing charges can take a long time," Weis said.
He noted that investigation into the incident began almost immediately following the alleged battery.
Weis said the child's mother will not be charged.
"There are no allegations from our investigation that the mom had anything to do with the injuries to the child," Weis said. "It is pretty clear from our end that she's not involved."
Court records show that the child's mother filed a petition for an emergency order of protection against Burton in June 2013, several months after the alleged battery occurred. In the petition, she states that their child is 3-months-old.
According to the petition, the woman and Burton had been dating for four years, and broke up following the battery incident in April.
She said on that date, she left the baby in Burton's care while she went to go make a bottle. She said she heard the baby crying and then, the crying suddenly stop.
When she went to check on the child, the woman said she found the baby unresponsive and not breathing. She said she performed CPR and called 911. The baby was flown to Loyola University Medical Center with serious injuries, the Beacon News reported.
In her petition, the woman said that doctors found bruising on the inside of the infant's ear, a broken femur bone, signs of shaken baby syndrome, bleeding on the brain, a bruise on the child's left eye and signs of suffocation.
She went on to state that following the break up, Burton began to follow her around Kendall County. She said he called and texted her hundreds of time, often leaving threatening messages.
A Kendall County judge granted her emergency order of protection, which was later extended.
In court documents signed by Burton following his arrest, he said his child is now 9 months old.
Court records show Burton has a prior domestic battery charge issued in Kendall County in October 2009. He was sentenced to 12 months probation for pushing and striking his siblings. That probation was terminated unsatisfactorily for Burton's failure to pay fines or attend anger management classes.
In 2010, Burton was found guilty of two counts of arson for setting a vacant home on fire on two separate occasions. He was sentenced to probation. That probation was revoked the following year when Burton was picked up on burglary charges.
Instead of serving two, concurrent four-year prison sentences for the arson and burglary charges, a judge sentenced Burton to the Impact Incarceration Program, or boot camp. He finished that program and was released.
In July 2012, Burton was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for banging on the doors and windows of a home at 3 a.m. He was found guilty, and sentenced to 12 months of probation. Prosecutors filed to have his probation revoked for failure to report and failure to finish community service, court records show.
Burton's next court date is 9 a.m. Feb. 26 in Kendall County Court.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
