Baby who allegedly suffered child abuse dies two years after injuries
Previous stories
Parents of 7-week-old accused of shaking girl; Infant in hospital with severe brain injuries published 08/17/06
Baby's injuries a mystery; Berkeley sheriff's detectives suspect mom and dad published 11/05/06
LADSON — An infant at the center of a shaken-baby case two years ago has died in foster care, though the cause of her death may remain a mystery for the near future, authorities said.
Jasmine Lynn Steen had no outward sign of injury when she died at a home in Ladson about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Berkeley County Coroner Glenn Rhoad said. An autopsy on Wednesday was inconclusive. The coroner didn't expect to know how the 2-year-old died for at least a few more weeks, when toxicology results come back from the lab.
Jasmine's parents were arrested on felony child-abuse charges in August 2006 after they took the girl to a hospital with critical injuries. Charges against David Steen Jr., 23, and Lynn Steen, 16, were pending, said Julian Malasi, a spokesman for the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
On Aug. 5, 2006, the then-7-week-old girl wasn't responsive and had no brain activity when her father rushed her to Trident Medical Center. She was transferred to Medical University Hospital, where doctors learned she had massive bleeding in her skull. They told a deputy the didn't think she would survive.
Days later, Berkeley County sheriff's detectives arrested her parents. Patricia Steen, then 16, was prosecuted as an adult.
The parents were accused of inflicting great bodily injury on a child, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. They also were indicted on charges of a parent knowingly allowing another person to inflict great bodily injury on a child, punishable by up to five years in prison.
In late 2006, Jasmine had survived the brain damage, but was being kept alive with a feeding tube. She and her older brother, David Caleb, now 3, were in the custody of the Department of Social Service where they were expected to remain in foster care until the case against the Steens was concluded.
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Comments
prosperous_hb (anonymous) says...
How sad. Someone needs to shake the crap out of the parents.
August 21, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Marianne0558 (anonymous) says...
Very sad. As a mother, stories like these really get to me. How a parent can kill/abuse/neglect their children boggles my brain. Why have them (other than welfare money)? People who do these things to children need to be made infertile so they produce no more.
August 21, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammanofdi (anonymous) says...
I was wondering that too stand. It also says they have/had a 3 year old too?!? What kind of parent's let their 16 year old daughter get married to a 23 yr old? There's a whole list of people in this family that need to be shaken to death...
August 21, 2008 at 5:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MRSCVS (anonymous) says...
How atrocious what could a child/baby do that would justify being treated that way?
The answer: NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!
I truly hope that someone grab the both of your sorry asses and shake the HELL out of you until you know what happens D * * * *!!
JMO
August 21, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SomeTruthPlease (anonymous) says...
I'm disgusted by absolutely every aspect of this case...16 year old girl, two children, 23 year old guy...and he wasn't in jail to begin with? And they were married???!!! I thought that a 16 year old had to have permission of the parents; I'm guessing that the hillbilly nut didn't fall too far from the tree. I hope that they can conclusively link the death of this helpless infant to those two derelicts, and they're both charged with Homicide. It's a shame that the one who inflicted the injuries won't get the death penalty.
August 21, 2008 at 6:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
luvmydogs59 (anonymous) says...
Stories like this make me sick to my stomach! As a mom, I just can't imagine doing this to a child. May the parents rot in hell!!!
August 21, 2008 at 7:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kateanderikinnova (anonymous) says...
Who's the mom ?
Patricia Steen or Lyn Steen ??
August 21, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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