Lawyer files plea in shaken baby case

Lawyer files plea in shaken baby case

By Melissa Regennitter of the Muscatine Journal

MUSCATINE, Iowa — Melanie Leathers Addington has pleaded not guilty to a child endangerment charge.

The charge stems from a Sept. 5, incident in which Addington allegedly shook and slammed 2-month-old Tyler Addington, a baby she was attempting to adopt, causing permanent brain injury. The incident allegedly occurred at her apartment at  2111 Bidwell Road, Apt. B 11.

The plea was done in writing by her lawyer, Mary Lynn Wolfe of Iowa City, on Nov. 2.

Leathers Addington, 29, of Muscatine, was released from jail on $10,000 bond in early September and has been ordered to not have contact with the child, according to documents filed at the Muscatine County Courthouse.

The baby was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Sunday, Sept. 5. Court documents state the baby incurred permanent brain damage from the incident and that Leathers Addington admitted to having caused the injury.

Leathers Addington is charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury, a class C forcible felony punishable by a mandatory prison sentence not to exceed 10 years.

If convicted, Leathers Addington would not be eligible for any form of probation

A pretrial conference for Leathers Addington has been scheduled for 10:45 a.m., Friday, Dec. 14, and the trial date is set for 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 31.