Judge Considers Probation for Felony Child Abuse Conviction

OAKLAND, CA - Saying he wants more information, a judge today delayed sentencing a 43-year-old man who was convicted of felony child abuse for burning his 2-year-old son’s hands in boiling water at a home in San Leandro four years ago.

At the end of a hearing that lasted more than two hours, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Stuart Hing said it would be “helpful” for the state Department of Corrections to do an evaluation of Dante Roberson as to whether he’s a suitable candidate to be placed on probation for his conviction instead of sentenced to state prison.

Hing ordered Roberson, who was placed in custody without bail when he was convicted on Dec. 9, to return to court for sentencing on April 18, after the Department of Corrections completes its evaluation of him. Prosecutors said the boy, who’s now 4, suffered burns to both of his hands while he was under Roberson’s care during his scheduled monthly visit at a home in the 2300 block of Jamaica Way, west of Doolittle Drive, on Sept. 15, 2011.

The mother, who has custody of the boy, wasn’t at home when the incident occurred.

Prosecutors said Roberson didn’t return the boy to his mother for about two hours after the injuries occurred even though he was in extreme distress. Once the mother saw the boy’s injuries, she took him to San Leandro Hospital for treatment but his burns were so severe that the child was transferred to the burn center at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco, prosecutors said.

A child abuse expert testified at Roberson’s trial that the boy’s injuries weren’t consistent with an accident and were the result of forcible submersion, according to prosecutors.

Roberson, who also was convicted of an enhancement that he inflicted great bodily injury on his son, faces up to 12 years in state prison.

In asking that Roberson be sentenced to prison, the boy’s mother, Lakesha Harrison, said today that the boy has had to undergo multiple plastic reconstructive surgeries to repair his hands and faces more surgeries this summer.

Harrison said her son “is emotionally, physically and psychologically scarred” by what happened to him, suffers nightmares and panic attacks and is undergoing therapy. Harrison said her son “wants an apology from his dad for his injuries” and wonders “if the judge can make him say he’s sorry.”

Roberson said he didn’t realize how badly his son was injured until he saw pictures of him afterward, saying, “how emotional the pictures were when I first saw them.”

Roberson said, “I’m sorry he got injured in this accident.” He said, “If I could go back in time to that day I never would have left him.”

Roberson, who has two other children with two other mothers, said, “I love my son and I love all of them the same.”

Hing said he’s received more than 45 letters from Roberson’s family members and friends asking that Roberson, who doesn’t have a prior criminal record, be placed on probation instead of being sentenced to state prison.

Lynda Clark, the mother of one of Roberson’s two daughters, said Roberson is “extremely protective” of their daughter and she doesn’t think he’s capable of hurting children.

Clark said she thinks that the incident in which Roberson’s son was injured was “a horrible accident” and that it would be “a horrendous crime in itself” is he’s sentenced to prison.

Pamela Owens, who has attended the same church as Roberson the past six years, said, “I believe there was an accident” and described Roberson as “the most loving person I’ve ever encountered.”

Owens said Roberson “is not this evil person the prosecution has made him out to be.”

--Bay City News