Twenty-three-year-old Draven Haynes of Cozad appeared before Dawson County County Judge Jeff Wightman this(Mon) morning for preliminary hearing on two counts of Felony Child Abuse. Through his Defense Attorney Ken Harbison, Haynes waived the hearing and his arraignment in Dawson County District Court was scheduled for April 9, 2024 at 9:30am.
Law enforcement say Haynes’ two-month-old son suffered from significant injuries. According to an arrest affidavit, Cozad Rescue and Cozad Police Department responded to Haynes’ residence on February 14, 2024 in reference to an unresponsive two-month-old child. When officers arrived, they say Haynes told them the infant was on a bed when the infant rolled off it.
The infant is a patient at Children’s’s Hospital in Omaha. The day after the alleged incident Haynes was taken to Cozad Community Hospital for an attempted overdose. He was taken into custody after being treated. The first count alleges abuse on February 14, 2024. The second count alleges abuse from December 2, 2023, when the child was born, through February 14, 2024.
Bond for Haynes had previously been set at 10% of $500,000. At Monday’s hearing, Deputy Dawson County Attorney Garret Goodwin asked that the bond be increased to 10% of $1 Million, citing physician reports that the infant is mostly brain dead and on life support. He continued that no improvement in brain function is expected and he is also not expected to live.
Goodwin continued that there are allegations of a violent history with the mother, Jasmine Hopkins, through her pregnancy. Defense Attorney Ken Harbison acknowledged the prosecution’s arguments but, said the bond amount would be “completely unobtainable”. Judge Wightman then increased Haynes bond to 10% of $1 Million and continued his previous order that Haynes is not allowed to contact the infant if released. Haynes remains in the Dawson County Jail.
Meanwhile, Haynes’ girlfriend and mother of the infant, Jasmine Hopkins, has been charged with Felony Child Abuse. She was taken into custody on Friday on a Dawson County arrest warrant and lodged in the Douglas County Jail. She is expected to be returned to Dawson County later this week.
