Mom Breaks Her Baby's Skull

(Erie, Pennsylvania) A 28-year-old mother-of-five, Chytoria Graham, was convicted by an Erie County Common Pleas Court jury yesterday of breaking her 4-month-old son's skull.

Graham swung the baby, Jarron, like a baseball bat during a fight she had with her boyfriend in October 2006. The infant suffered brain bleeding and bruising and, fortunately, recovered.

Graham, a ninth-grade dropout and 28-year-old mother of five, bowed her head into her arms and wept as Judge William R. Cunningham read the verdict: guilty of charges of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Later, after the jury left the room, Cunningham reminded Graham that she would face a five-year mandatory minimum sentence on the charge of aggravated assault and set her sentencing for Dec. 12. He revoked her $7,500 bail because of the serious nature of the conviction.

As he spoke, Graham crumpled to the ground and curled into a fetal position.

"Oh my God," she cried. "Oh my God, Oh my God. No, no, no."

Sheriff's deputies removed her from the courtroom in a wheelchair.

Graham essentially sealed her conviction by confessing three times.

First Assistant Public Defender James Pitonyak argued that Graham had been tired, confused, injured and had low intelligence. It's also believed that her boyfriend, and the baby's father, 21-year-old Deangelo Troop, shares responsibility for the criminal assault.

Graham's mother and father are caring for her five children.


[Update 12/17/07]

Graham sentenced to prison.