The man arrested over six years ago for the physical abuse of a five-week-old infant was sentenced last week for the crime.
Authorities say that 33-year-old Charles Justin Wiggins was facing two counts of aggravated child abuse for an incident that occurred in 2015. Smithville Police Captain Steven Leffew said at the time of the arrest, “Cookeville Regional Medical Center contacted Smithville Police just after 6:00 p.m. on October 19, 2015, regarding an infant with severe injuries, who had been brought into their medical facility for treatment.”
“The injury was believed to have occurred in the jurisdiction of the City of Smithville. Lieutenant Matt Holmes and Sergeant Brad Tatrow responded and upon arrival spoke with medical staff, who advised that the infant had sustained obvious physical injuries.”
“Officers quickly developed Charles J. Wiggins as a suspect, and an investigation led authorities to arrest Wiggins for two counts of aggravated child abuse. District Attorney Bryant Dunaway and investigators from his office as well as the Department of Children Services responded to the scene.”
Police say that Wiggins was a friend of the child’s mother and at the time of the abuse.
The arrest warrant stated that, “At approximately 4:00 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2015 at his Cooper Street residence, Wiggins did knowingly treat a five-week-old boy in a manner as to inflict serious bodily injury. Wiggins stated that he squeezed the child’s ribs and bounced the child aggressively enough to cause the child serious injury”.
A second warrant states that “At approximately 3:00 p.m., on Monday, October 19, 2015 at his residence, Wiggins did knowingly treat a five-week-old boy in a manner as to inflict serious bodily injury. Mr. Wiggins did state that he did pick the child up and squeeze his ribs and slammed him down aggressively into the crib causing the child’s head to bounce. Mr. Wiggins stated he pressed down on both the child’s legs and felt them break”.
Wiggins entered a guilty plea last Thursday in DeKalb Criminal Court to one lesser charge of attempted aggravated child abuse. He received a 13-year sentence to serve in the Tennessee Department of Corrections with 10 days of jail credit.
