Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Shamika Ramos, age 31, of Pawtucket, was sentenced yesterday by Superior Court Justice Sarah Taft-Carter to five years, with 18 months to serve and the remainder suspended with probation, for second degree child abuse. In addition, she was ordered to have no contact with the victim. Ramos was remanded to the ACI immediately upon being sentenced.
Ramos was found guilty of second degree child abuse by a jury on August 1, 2017 after a four-day trial presided over by Justice Taft-Carter.
During the trial, the State proved that in April, 2014, Ramos, a foster parent at the time, caused physical injuries to a two-year-old boy who was in her care.
It became apparent that the injuries were inflicted rather than accidental when the child was brought to Hasbro Children's Hospital. The child was displaying symptoms associated with a subgaleal hematoma, bleeding resulting from the child's scalp being torn off his skull bone. It was discovered while he was at the hospital that the child also had injuries to his ears.
Dr. Christine Barron, Director of the Child Safe Program at the Lawrence A. Aubin Child Protection Center at Hasbro Children's Hospital, testified as an expert for the State. She testified that, in her opinion, the injuries were consistent with child abuse. Dr. Barron testified that the subgaleal hematoma was an acute injury and was inflicted upon the two-year-old within 12 - 24 hours from the time the child was evaluated at Hasbro Children's Hospital by her on April 30, 2014. Other witnesses testified as to the events that occurred within that 12 – 24 hour time frame and that the two-year-old began displaying symptoms of the subgaleal hematoma while he was alone with Ramos.
"While this child was too young to say what happened to him, this was obviously an extremely painful injury. While the boy has fortunately recovered from this brutal treatment, this sentence sends a message that if you hurt a child, you will be going to jail," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. Pawtucket Police Detective Susan Cormier led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorneys General Shannon Signore and Siobhan Bogosian prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.