Fluvanna man found guilty in child’s death

PALMYRA — The father of a deceased 5-month-old girl who showed signs of shaken baby syndrome has been convicted of killing her.

A Fluvanna County jury convicted Samuel Bee Jones III on Tuesday of felony homicide and recommended a 10-year prison sentence. Jones was found not guilty of child abuse.

Authorities have said Jones shook Arianna Gibson-Jones on Oct. 5, 2008. Arianna was pronounced dead Oct. 8, 2008.

Jones testified Tuesday that he was caring for Arianna and three other children on the day of the incident. He said that Arianna seemed sick and refused the bottle. Although she drank a tiny bit around noon, Jones testified, she soon vomited it up. Jones said in court that the baby vomited a frothy yellow substance while he was cleaning her in the bath.

“She was gagging and gasping for air,” Jones testified. “I shook her a few times, trying to get it out.”
Jones said Arianna started breathing again after the incident and he continued to clean her before putting her in her bassinet. Arianna’s mother, Shernita Gibson, testified Monday that she sought help for her baby after she picked up the limp, unresponsive child.

Jones testified Tuesday that he was trying to help Arianna when he shook her. He said he didn’t know CPR and didn’t try to seek medical attention or ask Gibson’s advice when she called during a break at work not long after the incident.

Witnesses said Jones told Gibson during that phone call that the children were “driving him crazy.” Jones testified Tuesday that he was merely kidding. Francis C. Terwilliger, assistant commonwealth’s attorney, said in court that he believed Jones was frustrated by caring for all the children.

“He intended to shake her, to shut her up, because he was upset,” Terwilliger said in court.

A medical examiner testified Tuesday that Arianna’s cause of death was “blunt force injury to the head.” He said that class of injury could be caused by an object, a baby falling or being shaken. Other medical personnel who worked with Arianna testified that her symptoms were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

However, defense attorney David Randle said during his closing arguments that one of the experts testified that nausea can be a sign of a head injury. Witnesses said in court Monday that Arianna slid out of her carrier the day before but seemed fine after her mother soothed her.

“The mother could have just as easily done this as the father,” Randle said in court.

Medical personnel testified that it was not likely that the Oct. 4, 2008, carrier incident was the cause of Arianna’s head injuries.

Authorities mentioned an earlier incident during Monday’s testimony when Arianna had rib and leg injuries.

Regarding the jury’s decision to convict on one charge and acquit on another, Terwilliger said in court it’s possible the jury thought the child abuse count referred to Arianna’s previous injuries. Randle said in court that there wasn’t evidence presented to show who caused those injuries to the baby.

“If we appeal, I’ll raise those issues on appeal,” Randle said in court.