Houston infant dies with 90-plus fractures; parents charged

DALLAS (AP) — The parents of a Houston newborn who suffered a cracked skull and more than 90 fractures just days after being brought home from the hospital were arrested in their daughter’s death, according to police and Harris County prosecutors.

Jazmine Robin, who was born prematurely, was 10 weeks old when she died July 15 [2018], 12 days after leaving the hospital, prosecutors said Monday.

Her father, 24-year-old Jason Paul Robin, is charged with murder. Her mother, 21-year-old Katharine Wyndham White, faces a count of injury to a child by omission.

“The evidence shows that Baby Jazmine fell victim to the very people who were supposed to protect her the most in this world,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “After a full and thorough investigation of the facts, we have filed charges, and will seek justice for young Jazmine.”

Detectives last July were called to a Houston hospital after staff there found “clearly inflicted head trauma,” according to a Houston police affidavit.

An autopsy that was completed last month determined the girl’s death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators believe Jazmine’s crying would anger Robin and he violently shook the newborn, according to the affidavit. The child suffered multiple fractures to several ribs — 71 rib fractures in all — and 23 “long bone” breaks.

“It is concluded that a minimum of two traumatic events resulted in 96 fractures,” the affidavit said.

It took several months to complete the autopsy because those done on infants, and related testing, generally take much longer than ones done on adults, authorities said.

Robin and White were being held Tuesday in the Harris County jail. Online jail records don’t indicate whether either has an attorney to speak on their behalf. They face life sentences if convicted on the charges.

Robin told an investigator that he read psychology books in an effort to control his anger and said Jazmine “is too beautiful to hit.” White blamed the child’s brain injury on hospital personnel who administered CPR on Jazmine for an hour, the affidavit said. White later told authorities a woman who also lived at their residence was likely to blame for the girl’s injuries.