Woman accused of shaking 3 month old 

grandson
By Tracy M. Neal Staff Writer tracyn@nwanews.com
Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2005
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/story/bcdr/22973
BENTONVILLE — A Bentonville woman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of
abusing her 3-month-old grandson.

Mona Faye White, 39, is being held in the Benton County Jail pending a bond
hearing.

She was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery in the third

degree, but as a result of two prior domestic abuse convictions, the charge is a
class D felony, which is punishable with up to six years in prison.

Bentonville Police Chief James Allen said the incident occurred June 27, and a
witness reported seeing White abuse her grandson. Allen said the witness
reported White was sitting with the baby on her lap while she was drinking beer.

Allen said the witness claimed White did not burp the infant properly and the
baby began crying. White picked the baby up with one arm while holding a beer
in the other hand. The baby continued crying and White ended up violently
shaking the baby, Allen said.

The police chief said the witness was so concerned that she went to make sure the
baby was still breathing. Allen said the baby did not suffer any major injuries, but
the child did start having seizures. The baby will be referred to a specialist, Allen
said.

Prosecutors have not filed formal charges in the case.

According to information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders

and Stroke, shaken-baby syndrome is a severe head injury that occurs when a
baby is shaken forcibly enough to cause the baby’s brain to bounce against his or
her skull.

The injury may cause bruising, swelling and bleeding of the brain, which may
lead to permanent, severe brain damage or death. Symptoms may include
changes in behavior, irritability, lethargy, loss of consciousness, pale or bluish
skin, vomiting and convulsions.

The Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is currently handling two other
shaken-baby cases.
Samantha Anne Mitchell, 30, is charged with capital murder, a class Y felony, in
connection with the death of a 4-monthold child. Mitchell was the baby sitter of
the child and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police began investigating the matter March 15 after being alerted by doctors in
the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rogers. The infant — Dominick
Sanders — was brought to the hospital after he had seizures. Doctors determined
the seizures were caused by bleeding and swelling of the brain, according to an
affidavit of probable cause in the case.

The child was taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where he died
of his injuries. Dr. Karen Farst of Arkansas Children’s Hospital said that to inflict
the nature and degree of injuries sustained by the child, a person would typically
have to violently shake an infant for approximately 15 to 20 seconds.

Mitchell was released from the Benton County Jail after posting a $100,000
bond.

Darra Barritt, 35, of Bentonville is accused of seriously injuring her 2-month-old

daughter. Barritt is charged with battery in the first degree, a class B felony
punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years. She previously
pleaded not guilty to the charge.

On March 18, Bentonville police officers went to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rogers to
investigate a possible case of shaken-baby syndrome. The investigation revealed
that a 2-month-old girl had signs of being shaken. She was later taken to
Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

According to an affidavit for a search warrant in the case, on March 18, Barritt
took her youngest daughter to the Garrett-Goss Clinic for a checkup after Barritt
and her mother noticed the baby was twitching. A doctor at the clinic suggested
the child be taken to St. Mary’s. The doctor at Garrett-Goss claimed the baby
displayed examples of being a shaken baby, the affidavit states.

Another doctor told police that Darra Barritt said she had shaken the baby but
not too hard.

Barritt was arrested and later released on a $50,000 bond.