Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that on Tuesday a Providence County Superior Court jury found Danielle Lefebvre (age 29), of Providence, guilty of first degree child abuse for abusing her six-week old son. The jury returned the guilty verdict in just over an hour after a weeklong trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel.
During the course of the trial, the State proved that the defendant shook and threw her son so violently it caused the bleeding of the brain, a complex skull fracture, numerous rib fractures, and caused the baby to have seizures. The injuries suffered by the child were so severe it caused permanent brain damage and delayed development. He has since been adopted.
The defendant presented her son to Hasbro Children's Hospital on October 20, 2011 indicating she found the baby crying on the bedroom floor when she awoke. Physicians determined the injuries to the child were not consistent with the defendant's account. Rather, the physicians determined the injuries were consistent with child abuse. Hospital personnel reported the suspected abuse to the Providence Police Department.
On October 22, 2011, after being advised of her rights, the defendant gave an audio-taped statement to the Providence Police where she admitted to violently shaking the baby on October 17, 2011 for a few seconds. She also admitted to aggressively rocking the child. During the trial, a Department of Children, Youth and Families social worker testified that the defendant told her that she was enraged and threw the baby on the floor because he would not stop crying.
"The abuse of a child at the hands of a parent is one of the most upsetting and chilling acts to learn of. It shocks the conscience that someone who is supposed to protect and care for an innocent and helpless newborn can have such anger and rage to hurt them," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.
The defendant was remanded to custody after the verdict. Sentencing is scheduled for May.