Child Abuse Conviction Results in Prison Time

Defendant Charlisa Wood, 22, was sentenced last month for the torture, abuse, and assault of her boyfriend’s young son. A jury found her guilty in December, 2014.

 
“When I think of the sheer terror that this child endured and went through while in your custody and — I would have to conclude — at your hands, I cannot understand why another human being would do that,” said Judge Cynthia Lane during sentencing.

 
Wood received 19-50 years for the torture and the same for the first-degree child abuse conviction. In addition, she received a sentence of 10 months to 5 years for the assault charge. The time is to be served concurrently with credit for 174 days already served.

 
Police responded to a call to Wood’s home back in July for a reported possible case of drowning. Upon arrival, a four-year-old child being cared for by Wood was lying near a bathroom in an unresponsive state.

 
The child ended up being airlifted to Royal Oak and taken to Beaumont Hospital due to the severity of his injuries. They were listed as a liver laceration, pancreatic and spleen injuries, bruises and scrapes to his stomach, head, and limbs, and also immersion burns.

 
At trial, medical experts indicated the child had peeled and blistered immersion burns from his wrists to elbows. These burns were likely caused by holding the child and dunking his lower arms into scalding water.

 
Senior Asst. Prosecutor Armstrong stated that it took some time to cause these kinds of injuries to the boy; and this shows the life-threatening injuries were premeditated.

 
The boy currently lives in foster care and is receiving counseling to heal from the trauma from the events.