Clark County man gets prison time for breaking baby’s leg

CLARK COUNTY — A Clark County man will spend 30 months in prison after he was convicted of felony child endangering because the then 11-month-old boy he was babysitting sustained a broken leg.

Brandon Rose, 28, the boyfriend of the boy’s mother at the time, originally told deputies that he accidentally stepped on the infant’s leg and heard a “pop” and claimed the child only cried for about 30 seconds and then seemed fine. The next morning Rose and the baby’s mother took the child to Dayton Children’s Hospital when he could no longer put weight on the leg.

Medical staff discovered a spiral fracture to the boy’s right tibia and the man’s story didn’t add up, Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Smith said.

“In further review of this, when the detectives started looking at this, the defendant’s statements about how this injury occurred did not match the injury,” Smith said. “That is not how a spiral fracture would occur.”

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Detectives on the case found the boy previously suffered wrist and skull injuries as well.

“It is difficult to watch a child have this many injuries over a course of time,” Smith said.

The boy’s mother, Renee Burns, said at the time she didn’t suspect Rose could hurt her child on purpose. However, as the evidence mounted she said she hoped for a long prison sentence for him.

“Looking back he was more controlling over (the boy),” Burns said.

The boy’s father, Michael Shaffer, said he was happy with the results of the court proceedings Wednesday.

“He got what he deserved I think. It could have been longer, but the judge was fair,” Shaffer said. “The best thing is (Rose) is not in the child’s life anymore and he is safe and happy and healthy.”

The boy is learning how to walk without a cast on and is expected to make a full recovery, his mother said.

After his prison sentence, Rose will serve three years of community control.