On August 18, 2022, a 3-month-old girl sustained severe abusive head trauma while in the care of her father, Devine Akbar Davis, 29, at their apartment in the Pennswood Apartments complex in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Davis initially told police the baby had drowned in the bathtub after he left her unattended for 30 seconds and then slipped and fell unconscious, but his account was inconsistent and medical experts determined the injuries were caused by shaking/impact, not drowning. The child suffered retinal hemorrhages, a skull fracture, and subdural hemorrhages, and was in cardiac arrest upon arrival at the hospital. She was transferred to Penn State Hershey Medical Center and later to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she died on February 22, 2023, more than six months after the initial injuries. An autopsy on February 28 ruled the death a homicide due to complications of traumatic brain injuries. Davis was charged with one count of murder. The family had been previously known to child welfare, and the child had been the subject of a previously reported near fatality.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources describe inflicted injuries. The fatality report (Q2.2023-7.pdf) states the child "died on February 22, 2023, as a result of physical abuse" and that "the father caused the injuries sustained by the victim child." The pennlive article states that "Child abuse medical experts said 'shaking/impact' caused retinal hemorrhages, a skull fracture, and subdural hemorrhages." These are clearly inflicted injuries from shaking and impact.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Multiple sources explicitly reference abusive head trauma and shaken baby syndrome. The pennlive article states: "A Dauphin County man inflicted 'abusive head trauma' on his baby daughter" and that experts said "'shaking/impact' caused retinal hemorrhages, a skull fracture, and subdural hemorrhages." The fcfreepresspa article includes an extensive section on "Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)" directly in connection with this case. The fox43 article states: "she suffered from abusive head trauma as a result of shaking and impact."
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report (Q2.2023-7.pdf) states the report was indicated "naming the victim child's father as the perpetrator" and that "the father caused the injuries sustained by the victim child that led to the child's death." The pennlive article identifies the father as Devine A. Davis, 29, who was charged with murder. Documents consistently refer to Davis as the baby's father, indicating a biological relationship.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report (Q2.2023-7.pdf) explicitly states: "The family was previously known to child welfare. This victim child was the subject of a previously reported near fatality." This clearly establishes a history of child protection reports prior to the child's death.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Multiple sources confirm that Devine A. Davis was charged with murder. The fatality report states: "the father had been criminally charged." The pennlive article states: "Devine A. Davis, 29, was charged Thursday with one count of murder out of Lower Paxton Township." The fox43 article states: "Police charged Davis with one count of murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The fatality report (Q2.2023-7.pdf) contains several notable details. First, the report states "The family was previously known to child welfare" and "This victim child was the subject of a previously reported near fatality," indicating the child welfare system had prior involvement with this family and this specific child before the fatal injuries. Second, the report notes that after the child's death, "the one other child in the home at the time of the incident remained in the home and no services were provided," raising potential questions about the safety assessment process. Third, the child survived for more than six months in treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after the initial abusive injuries on August 18, 2022, before dying on February 22, 2023. The father initially gave a false account claiming the baby drowned in a bathtub, but medical evidence contradicted this narrative.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.