A Big Bear couple was sentenced to prison Tuesday, July 28, for the death of a 1-year-old boy who suffered severe burns after being left in a scalding bath three years ago.
Henry Wheatley-Brown died Oct. 1, 2023, one day after he suffered massive burn injuries at a home in the 700 block of Santa Barbara Avenue in the Big Bear community of Sugarloaf, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
“Although nothing can bring back baby Henry or erase the suffering he endured, today’s sentences deliver justice and ensure these defendants will never again harm a child,” DA officials stated in a news release. “The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office will honor Henry’s memory by never forgetting him and by continuing to fight for vulnerable children.”
His mother, 36-year-old Samantha Garver, pleaded guilty last month to charges of voluntary manslaughter and child abuse causing great bodily injury.
Garver was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in state prison for voluntary manslaughter and child abuse causing great bodily injury, court records show.
Sergio Mena, 35, admitted to charges of second-degree murder and child abuse causing great bodily injury. He received a prison term of 21 years to life.
Victim left in scalding bath while mother’s boyfriend smokes meth
Wheatley-Brown was fatally injured on Sept. 30, 2023, prosecutors said.
“Mena placed Henry in a bathtub filled with scalding water and left him unattended to smoke methamphetamine,” district attorney’s officials said in a written statement. “Henry began screaming, and Mena returned to find the child severely burned.”
Garver returned home later in the day, officials said.
“Despite Henry’s extensive and life-threatening injuries, neither defendant sought medical care, instead attempting to treat the burns with over‑the‑counter ointment,” according to the statement.
The couple called 911 the following day, reporting that the young boy was having difficulty breathing, prosecutors said.
Responding paramedics found Wheatley-Brown “without a pulse, ice‑cold to the touch, and severely dehydrated,” the DA’s statement said. He died from his injuries, and the death was ruled a homicide.
Investigators ultimately determined the boy had been the victim of “ongoing physical abuse,” prosecutors stated.
“Henry had second‑ and third‑degree burns, extensive bruising, petechiae in his eyes, and multiple healing fractures in both arms. Garver was aware of Henry’s injuries,” DA officials stated.
The case was prosecuted by the DA’s Family Violence Unit.
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This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Big Bear couple sentenced for scalding death, abuse of 1-year-old boy
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
