February 11, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A man indicted over six years ago for two counts of aggravated child abuse of a five-week-old infant has been sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
33-year-old Charles Justin Wiggins entered a plea Thursday to one count of attempted aggravated child abuse, a lesser crime, and received a 13-year sentence to serve in the Tennessee Department of Corrections. He was given 10 days of jail credit.
Wiggins was arrested Monday, October 19, 2015 after a five-week-old infant was brought to Cookeville Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. According to Smithville Police, Wiggins was an acquaintance of the child’s mother and at the time was charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse.
According to the arrest warrant, “At approximately 4:00 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2015 at his Cooper Street residence, Wiggins did knowingly treat a five-week-old boy in a manner as to inflict serious bodily injury. Wiggins stated that he squeezed the child’s ribs and bounced the child aggressively enough to cause the child serious injury”.
In the second offense involving the same child, the warrant states that “At approximately 3:00 p.m., on Monday, October 19, 2015 at his residence, Wiggins did knowingly treat a five-week-old boy in a manner as to inflict serious bodily injury. Mr. Wiggins did state that he did pick the child up and squeeze his ribs and slammed him down aggressively into the crib causing the child’s head to bounce. Mr. Wiggins stated he pressed down on both the child’s legs and felt them break”.
The child was later taken to Cookeville Regional Medical Center for treatment. Law enforcement authorities were subsequently notified.
In a prepared statement at the time of Wiggins’ arrest, Smithville Police Captain Steven Leffew said, “On Monday, October 19 at approximately 6:07 p.m., Cookeville Regional Medical Center contacted Smithville Police in regard to an infant that was severely injured and had been brought into their facility for treatment. The injury was believed to have occurred in the jurisdiction of the City of Smithville”.
“Lieutenant Matt Holmes and Sergeant Brad Tatrow responded and upon arrival spoke with medical staff who advised that the infant had sustained obvious severe injuries. Officers quickly developed Charles J. Wiggins as a suspect and upon investigation Smithville Police arrested Wiggins for two counts of aggravated child abuse. District Attorney Bryant Dunaway and investigators from his office as well as the Department of Children Services responded to the scene,” said Captain Leffew.