Las Vegas Sun

April 24, 2024

Ex-Child Haven worker pleads not guilty to murder

A former Child Haven worker whose job it was to care for other people's abused and neglected children, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder by child abuse involving a drug addicted baby she was trying to adopt.

A July 20 trial has been scheduled for Sheila Logan, 33, who had called an ambulance to her home on July 11, 1996, after the 21-month-old baby's lips turned blue.

Evans Watkins died the same day at University Medical Center.

In statements to police, Logan and her husband, Larry Logan, indicated that problems began the day after the man had playfully tossed the baby into the air.

An autopsy concluded the death was the result of an accidental head injury but an Iowa doctor contacted by a Metro Police officer involved in the case concluded the baby's injuries were the result of shaken baby syndrome.

Bruising on the boy, according to the conclusions of Dr. Randall Alexander, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, were caused by child abuse.

The Logans had been the baby's foster parents and were in the process of trying to adopt him.

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