A baby at the center of a Cozad child abuse case has passed. Dawson County Attorney Liz Waterman tells KRVN Radio that Carson Haynes passed shortly before 5:00am Thursday(today) morning at Children’s Hospital in Omaha. He was 3 months and one day when he passed. An autopsy is being conducted to determine cause and manner of death as well as to assist the prosecution if any changes in charges against his parents are warranted.
The father, 23-year-old Draven Haynes has been charged with two counts of Felony Child Abuse. He is being held on a $1 Million bond. Carson’s mother, 19-year-old Jasmine Hopkins is facing one count of Felony Child Abuse. She is being held on $500,000 bond. Both can be released upon payment of 10% of their bonds.
On Monday, Hopkins’s attorney filed a motion for furlough from the Dawson County Jail on her behalf to be able to be present at Children’s Hospital to consent to the removal of Carson’s life support. Her motion was granted by the Dawson County County Judge.
Hopkins is scheduled for preliminary hearing in Dawson County Court on March 13, 2024. Haynes waived his preliminary hearing in Dawson County Court and is scheduled for Arraignment in Dawson County District Court on April 1, 2024 at 9:30am.
According to an arrest affidavit, Cozad Police Department responded on Wednesday February 14, 2024 to the 200 block of Avenue A in reference to an unresponsive two-month-old. When officers arrived, they say Haynes told them the infant was on a bed when the infant rolled off it.
The affidavit says Cozad Rescue staff advised officers that the infant went into cardiac arrest and had to be placed on a breathing machine. A CT scan was later performed on the infant, who was found to have brain bleeding, broke ribs and burn marks. The infant was later transported to Children’s Hospital in Omaha.
A day later, the affidavit says Haynes was transported to Cozad Community Hospital for an attempted overdose. Officers said they interviewed Haynes’ mother who stated Haynes confessed to intentionally slamming the infant to the ground while it was crying. Haynes first count of Child Abuse alleges abuse the baby sustained on February 14, 2024. The second charge alleges abuse from about December 6, 2023(when the baby was born through February 14, 2024. Each charge is a Class II Felony with a penalty from 1 to 50 years imprisonment.
Hopkins is alleged to have committed child abuse from when her son was born on December 6, 2023 through February 14, 2024 when the baby was reported as unresponsive and transported to Cozad Community Hospital with what was described as “significant injuries”.
A few days after the baby was hospitalized, Hopkins was interviewed by a Dawson County Sheriff’s investigator about pictures of injuries on the baby’s back. The investigator believed the pictures depicted second or third degree burns on his entire back, butt and the back of his neck. In an interview, Hopkins alleged the baby was in the shower with her boyfriend and baby’s father, Draven Haynes, when he handed her the baby. About 10 to 15 minutes later, blisters started appearing on the baby’s back. Hopkins said she wanted to take the baby to the hospital for treatment but, acquiesced to Haynes’ insistence that they not do that. Hopkins then treated the burns with antibiotic ointment, burn cream and gauze but, never took him to the hospital.
