Boyfriend Gets 25-40 Years In Toddler's Abuse Death; Child's Mom To Face Trial Next Month
SOUTH ROCKWOOD (WWJ) - A 31-year-old man charged with killing his girlfriend's 2-year-old son will spend the next 25 to 40 years behind bars.
Roger Schear received his prison sentence Thursday after pleading pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his then-girlfriend's son, Caius Henry. In exchange for his plea, charges of open murder and first-degree child abuse were dropped.
The child's mother, 26-year-old Jordan Henry, was also charged in the case with second-degree child abuse. Her trial is set to begin next month.
The case started back on April 30, 2015, when police were called to the Village Place Apartments on Stoneridge Lane in South Rockwood on a report of a medical emergency involving a child. The boy was taken to the hospital where he died the next day.
Schear and Henry were arrested two months later. The medical examiner's office ruled Caius' death a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to the head. According to reports, Caius had more than 55 injuries over his body.
Investigators say Caius suffered weeks of prolonged abuse at the hands of Schear, who has a 6-year-old daughter of his own.
Abuse charges were brought against Henry because, according to police, she allowed Schear to care for her child despite having reason to know he was harming the boy.