N.Va. Grandmother Accused in Baby's Death

A Centreville woman was charged yesterday with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 5-day-old granddaughter, who was severely shaken while in her care, Fairfax County police said.

Crissmis Noelle Reese Jones was born Dec. 30 and went home from the hospital Jan. 3, the day before she died, authorities said. Crissmis was living with her 19-year-old mother and 38-year-old grandmother, police spokeswoman Mary Mulrenan said.

On the morning of Jan. 4, someone dialed 911 from the townhouse in the 14800 block of Millicent Court to say that the baby was unconscious, police said. Crissmis was rushed to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Mulrenan said.

Medical tests determined that Crissmis died of head trauma caused by being severely shaken, police said. The Fairfax homicide unit began investigating.

After consulting with Fairfax prosecutors, police obtained a warrant yesterday charging the baby's grandmother, Heather Thomas, with involuntary manslaughter. She was being held without bond at the county jail last night.

Mary Mulrenan, a Fairfax police spokeswoman, said that Thomas was helping to care for Crissmis and that the baby's mother was also in the house. Mulrenan said she did not know whether the mother was awake when Crissmis became unconscious and help was summoned. She declined to discuss the specific circumstances of the baby's injuries.

Court records show that Crissmis was the second baby apparently killed by shaking in Fairfax in recent months. In May, a day-care provider on Novar Drive in Chantilly dialed 911 to say a 15-month-old boy was not breathing, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in Fairfax Circuit Court.

The boy died, and doctors told police that he showed symptoms -- including bleeding retinas and bruising on the brain -- that were indicative of "shaken baby syndrome" or child abuse, according to the affidavit.

Police have classified the death as a homicide, but no charges have been filed. Lt. Richard Perez, a police spokesman, said that the case was being investigated and that police were consulting with the commonwealth's attorney's office on possible charges.

Court cases show that proving guilt in a shaken baby case can be difficult. In 2001, a 3-month-old baby died after becoming unconscious while at a day-care provider's home in Annandale. Medical examiners said the baby had been shaken. The day-care provider strongly denied responsibility, and a jury found her not guilty.