"Newborn John" DURRANI/ Accused: Father Zeshawn Durrani - Yakima WA

Posted on Thursday, December 22, 2011

Man accused of fracturing newborn's skull
By Chris Bristol
Yakima Herald-Republic

YAKIMA, Wash. -- It is a scenario almost too sickening to imagine: the father of a newborn infant punching and beating the mother of his child while she is holding the baby.

Yet that's exactly what Yakima police say happened earlier this month at a home on Birchfield Road. What's worse, the baby suffered a fractured skull in the alleged attack, and now the father is in jail.

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/12/22/man-accused-of-fracturing-newborn-s-skull

"It is troubling to be sure," Detective Mike Durbin, a spokesman for YPD's special assault squad, said Thursday. "In my career I can recall only a handful of cases with a remotely similar fact pattern."

Earlier this week, Yakima County prosecutors filed a felony charge of second-degree child assault against the father, 27-year-old Zeshawn Q. Durrani.

Durrani has been in custody for more than a week now after detectives assigned to the special assault squad arrested him following an investigation that included expert consultation with doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital.

According to Durrani's arrest affidavit, the attack occurred only six days after the baby was born.

Detectives said Durrani and the baby's 23-year-old mother were arguing when Durrani began punching her even though she was holding the infant to her chest.

Durbin said the baby's mother fell during the attack and that Durrani continued to strike her on the ground. At least one blow, perhaps more, apparently landed on the child, leading to almost immediate swelling to the child's head and a trip to the hospital.

Durbin said doctors at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital subsequently diagnosed two separate skull fractures, which led to intracranial bleeding, seizures and vomiting.

After the baby was taken to Children's Hospital for specialist treatment, doctors there told detectives the child likely had suffered permanent brain damage from the injury.

The prosecutor handling the case could not be reached for comment Thursday on why Durrani was charged with second-degree assault instead of first-degree. The difference is substantial: nine years in prison vs. three years for a first-time offender.

Durbin said as he understands it, the lesser charge stems from uncertainty about the long-term effects of the injury.

"It's difficult to prove what the exact level of impairment's going to be," he said. "Usually it does not become measurable until a child reaches school age.

"Doctors at Children's (Hospital) tell us the historical prognosis is not good."

The baby has been placed in foster care with relatives of the mother, according to Sherry Hill, spokeswoman for Child Protective Services in Olympia. Detectives said the mother had "significant" bruising on her arms, hand and chest but was not otherwise seriously injured.

Court records show that Durrani had a history of misdemeanor assault arrests and convictions as a juvenile in the Lower Valley and the Tri-Cities.

He does not have a criminal history as an adult -- in Washington state, at least. Until his arrest in this case, his only court records as an adult were traffic tickets.

It was not clear if Durrani has an attorney. He remains in custody at the Yakima County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. Arraignment is set for Thursday.

Posted on Thursday, December 29, 2011

Suspect in baby assault may face witness tampering charge
by Chris Bristol
Yakima Herald-Republic



YAKIMA, Wash. -- A man charged with severely injuring his newborn baby while assaulting the baby's mother is now accused of tampering with a witness from jail.

The new accusation against Zeshawn Q. Durrani, 27, was raised Thursday in Yakima County Superior Court, where he was being arraigned on a charge of second-degree child assault.

Prosecutors are considering whether to add a tampering charge after detectives said Durrani called a friend from jail to get the baby's mother to recant her statement to police.

Police said Durrani went so far as to get his friend to make copies of embarrassing photographs of the baby's mother to get her to recant.

Durrani has been in custody since Dec. 14, when detectives assigned to the Yakima Police Department's special assault squad arrested him on suspicion of child abuse.

Detectives said Durrani and the baby's 23-year-old mother were arguing earlier this month at their Birchfield Road home when Durrani began punching her even though she was holding the week-old infant to her chest.

They said the baby's mother fell during the attack and that Durrani continued to strike her while she was on the ground. At least one blow, perhaps more, landed on the baby boy, according to police.

The baby suffered two fractures of the skull in the attack, according to detectives, who say doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital have predicted permanent brain damage is now likely. The full extent of the injury is not expected to become apparent until the child is school age.

After his arrest, according to police, Durrani called a friend on the county jail's recorded phone system and asked him to contact the baby's mother and get her to recant her statement to police.

Detectives said a review of the recorded calls shows Durrani told the man how to contact the baby's mother and instructed him to make copies of embarrassing photos of her to persuade her cooperate.

Detectives arrested the man on Wednesday, and he is being held on $5,000 bail while prosecutors review reports. Low bail was set because the 27-year-old man is cooperating with the investigation, police said.

Bail for Durrani did not change, and it could be days before prosecutors decide whether to add a tampering or intimidation charge. He is unemployed and told authorities he was receiving Social Security.

The baby, now about 3 weeks old, has been placed in foster care with relatives of the mother.

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/12/29/suspect-in-baby-assault-may-face-witness-tampering-charge

Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2012

Witness tampering charge filed against baby assault suspect
by Chris Bristol
Yakima Herald-Republic



YAKIMA, Wash. -- Prosecutors have filed a felony tampering charge against a Moxee man accused of severely injuring his newborn baby while assaulting the infant's mother.

Police allege Zeshawn Q. Durrani, 27, called a friend from jail to get the baby's mother to recant her statement to police and even had the friend make copies of embarrassing photographs of the baby's mother to get her to comply.

Durrani has been in custody since Dec. 14, when detectives assigned to the Yakima Police Department's special assault squad arrested him on suspicion of child abuse.

Detectives said Durrani and the baby's 23-year-old mother were arguing at their Birchfield Road home when Durrani began punching her even though she was holding the week-old infant to her chest.

The baby suffered two fractures of the skull in the attack, and doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital have said permanent brain damage is likely, according to detectives. The full extent of the injury is not expected to become apparent until the child is school age.

Durrani's alleged accomplice in the tampering scheme, 27-year-old Joseph Jackson Crandall, has also been charged in the case.

Durrani remains in custody in lieu of $300,000 bail. Crandall, who has been cooperating with investigators, spent a week in jail before posting $5,000 bond.

The baby was placed in foster care with relatives of the mother.

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/01/12/witness-tampering-charge-filed-against-baby-assault-suspect

This is totally beyond my comprehension. Why doesnt someone "lose control" with these ppl?? They cannot deal with any pressures at all and take it out on little children. I had no idea that the world had gotten so bad until i came upon this sight.

I'm afraid it's only going to get worse...

Why do people like bring babies into the world. The mother knew what a POS he is yet she still bore his baby. Now we have a gravely injured newborn with permanent brain damage.