Support for DaMarcus Cash Graves!!!
STOP SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME & CHILD ABUSE!!!
DaMarcus' Story
June 20th 2014 was the last time I saw my son happy, healthy, smiling, & laughing. At 5:37 PM I dropped him off at Shawn's for his first visit alone with his dad. His father had been coming to my house to see him & had learned a lot of things about taking care of him. We got along pretty well, & he seemed really interested in DaMarcus' life. Shawn's mother had even taken DaMarcus a few times before & all went well, so I gave Shawn my trust.
I called to check on my son, but my calls weren't answered, so I texted about how he was doing. I was told he was breathing funny, & I texted back that his trachea wasn't fully developed, so that may be why, but keep an eye on it. He later texted that DaMarcus had stiffed up & puked twice out of his sleep & I asked if he meant puke or spit-up. Then I said to be sure he didn't have a fever, & I was told everything was fine.
The next day, Shawn's mother was supposed to get my son for her visitation time, but I hadn't heard from either of them, so I asked how DaMarcus was doing. I was told he had been sleepy all day & hadn't moved around much. I said that wasn't like him, he might be getting sick. I thought he might have a virus & told him since he lived behind the hospital, he might have to take him over there. He's his dad after all. Not even an hour and a half later, I got a text to come to the hospital because my son stopped breathing!
At the hospital, Shawn didn't say much more than he had in the texts, & before I knew it, we were separated to write statements. I was told this was protocol any time a baby in "this condition" is brought to the hospital. I figured something horrible must be wrong with him by then, but I still never thought abuse. I just wrote what I knew, the time I dropped him off, the times I got the texts & what we'd said to each other. That was it. I also stood up for Shawn & said he'd been a great father. Though now I understand that hardly anyone who knew him knew he even had a son, so now I take that statement back. I immediately took Shawn & his whole family off the visitation list until someone was willing to give me or the police answers as to what had happened to DaMarcus. No one would come forth, & to this day, Shawn's family supports him over DaMarcus, who is also their family.
I waited for over 4 hours when a doctor finally came in to talk about my son. He said DaMarcus had this & that wrong with him & I just said, "Cut to the chase doc. What's wrong with my son?" He said all he could tell so far was that he had sustained a massive brain bleed due to non-accidental trauma. He said he had also been abused, hit on multiple times. After that I asked if he would make it & was told he didn't know. I jumped out of my seat exclaiming, "What do you mean you don't know?" while Shawn's mother ran off to be with him & go see DaMarcus first. I demanded to get back there, as they had been the last ones to see DaMarcus, so they had their time.
My poor baby was having a seizure & was on pain medication when I saw him! He was in a drugged coma because of his injuries! He had to undergo a bone-flap surgery where they inserted a drain tube in his head so his brain wouldn't swell down his throat. He tested out as blind & deaf, has head a tracheostomy & a feeding tube placed. He suffered a stroke, & has trouble moving his body around like he used to. Almost his whole brain is blacked out in the MRI results due to what my son's father did to him or allowed to be done to him.
Do not support SG Tha Yunggin. He is nothing more than a neglectful father & a child abuser. Below, is a picture of what I thought was the love of a father & his son. This is the man who ruined my son's life, who cared nothing about the boy who looked just like him.
I called to check on my son, but my calls weren't answered, so I texted about how he was doing. I was told he was breathing funny, & I texted back that his trachea wasn't fully developed, so that may be why, but keep an eye on it. He later texted that DaMarcus had stiffed up & puked twice out of his sleep & I asked if he meant puke or spit-up. Then I said to be sure he didn't have a fever, & I was told everything was fine.
The next day, Shawn's mother was supposed to get my son for her visitation time, but I hadn't heard from either of them, so I asked how DaMarcus was doing. I was told he had been sleepy all day & hadn't moved around much. I said that wasn't like him, he might be getting sick. I thought he might have a virus & told him since he lived behind the hospital, he might have to take him over there. He's his dad after all. Not even an hour and a half later, I got a text to come to the hospital because my son stopped breathing!
At the hospital, Shawn didn't say much more than he had in the texts, & before I knew it, we were separated to write statements. I was told this was protocol any time a baby in "this condition" is brought to the hospital. I figured something horrible must be wrong with him by then, but I still never thought abuse. I just wrote what I knew, the time I dropped him off, the times I got the texts & what we'd said to each other. That was it. I also stood up for Shawn & said he'd been a great father. Though now I understand that hardly anyone who knew him knew he even had a son, so now I take that statement back. I immediately took Shawn & his whole family off the visitation list until someone was willing to give me or the police answers as to what had happened to DaMarcus. No one would come forth, & to this day, Shawn's family supports him over DaMarcus, who is also their family.
I waited for over 4 hours when a doctor finally came in to talk about my son. He said DaMarcus had this & that wrong with him & I just said, "Cut to the chase doc. What's wrong with my son?" He said all he could tell so far was that he had sustained a massive brain bleed due to non-accidental trauma. He said he had also been abused, hit on multiple times. After that I asked if he would make it & was told he didn't know. I jumped out of my seat exclaiming, "What do you mean you don't know?" while Shawn's mother ran off to be with him & go see DaMarcus first. I demanded to get back there, as they had been the last ones to see DaMarcus, so they had their time.
My poor baby was having a seizure & was on pain medication when I saw him! He was in a drugged coma because of his injuries! He had to undergo a bone-flap surgery where they inserted a drain tube in his head so his brain wouldn't swell down his throat. He tested out as blind & deaf, has head a tracheostomy & a feeding tube placed. He suffered a stroke, & has trouble moving his body around like he used to. Almost his whole brain is blacked out in the MRI results due to what my son's father did to him or allowed to be done to him.
Do not support SG Tha Yunggin. He is nothing more than a neglectful father & a child abuser. Below, is a picture of what I thought was the love of a father & his son. This is the man who ruined my son's life, who cared nothing about the boy who looked just like him.
DaMarcus Before the Injury
This was taken just days before my son was left at Shawn's house. 4 1/2 months old here, he was so well-advanced, so sweet, so loving. He was so full of life :)
DaMarcus When He Was Born
This is DaMarcus & Mama just minutes after I had him.
DaMarcus After the Injury
Here is DaMarcus the first time I was allowed to hold him after being in the ICU. He was almost 6 months old by this time.
DO NOT SHAKE YOUR BABY!!
There is a lot of education out there & you can look it up yourselves. Most importantly, just don't shake a baby. That's all you need to know. If you suspect there are signs/symptoms that your baby has suffered SBS, there are websites which provide what these signs & symptoms are, but I would suggest you call 911 anyway. I'm not going to repeat what's already out there. Just don't be mean to children. Cherish them every day you have them because it's a blessing.
CONTACT TO START SBS MARCH
The SBS March will feature people walking the streets of Huntington in honor of those children who have suffered SBS & been abused! We need a group of people together ready to raise money & awareness!
Email: YoungShizzy@fullsail.edu
Phone: (304) 972-8100
Facebook: facebook.com/Young.Shizzy.Art
Twitter: @YoungShizzy304