Step-grandmother accused of beating her husband’s 11-month-old baby so viciously he suffered a fractured skull and horrific injuries to his brain, neck and spinal cord

Shanica Callaghan, 35, walked free from court in New York City on Thursday, released six years after she was charged with infanticide

Jeramiah Callaghan died on September 6, 2017, a week after he was rushed to hospital

Shanica Callaghan who is married to the infant’s grandfather is accused of killing him at home

She had been in custody since her April 2018 arrest on second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child

Baby Jeremiah was put on life support after doctors found skull fracture, brain bleeding, extensive retinal hemorrhages in both eyes, a detached left retina, and major spinal cord injury

Shanica Callaghan who has three children of her own claimed she was burping the infant after a trip to the park, but police say she beat him

Callaghan is next scheduled to appear in court in February, and faces up to 25 years’ jail if convicted

Jeremiah Callaghan was just 11 months old when he went into cardiac arrest. Based on his horrific injuries, prosecutors say his step-grandmother,  beat him to death. She claims she on burped the infant 

A 35-year-old New York woman has been released on bail six years after allegedly shaking and beating an 11-month-old baby to death.
Shanica Callaghan was hauled before the Queens Supreme Court in New York City in handcuffs on Thursday, over the death of her infant step-grandson Jeremiah Callaghan six years ago, but was released and got into a car outside.

Shanica Callaghan, [photo], was released on bail six years after Jeramiah’s September 6, 2017, death outside court on Thursday. She had been in custody since her April 2018 arrest on second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child

Shanica who is married to, Jeramiah’s grandfather was held for the death of the baby on September 6, 2017, from a fractured skull as well as injuries to his brain, neck, and spinal cord.
The Medical Examiner’s report stated that cause of death for the infant was ‘violent, repetitive forces of acceleration and deceleration and significant blunt force trauma being applied to [his] head and body’.
Callaghan, who is also the mother of three young children, was arrested seven months later on April 24, 2018, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.
The case has wound its way through the courts ever since and she appeared before Judge Ushir Pandit-Durant on Tuesday morning.

Shanica Callaghan (left) was hauled before the Queens Supreme Court in New York City in handcuffs on Thursday, charged with second-degree murder. Although released Callaghan she is due in court in February, and faces up to 25 years’ jail if convicted

Appearing in court Tuesday,Callaghan stared at her feet as her lawyer addressed the court. After her release was announced the suspect left court in a dark blue car.
Court documents detail how Jeramiah was rushed to hospital after returning from a family trip to Brookville Playground in Rosedale on August 31, 2017.
Jeramiah’s grandfather was given sole custody of him by the Texas State Department of Family and Protective Services in 2016 because his daughter who is the child’s mother, struggled with drug addiction.

Callaghan, who is still facing murder charges stared at her feet as her lawyer addressed the court

On the day Jeremiah was reported injured, Shanica Callaghan said she carried the baby while her husband walked ahead of her with their three children, who pushed their bikes along the sidewalk.
She claimed Jeramiah was healthy and playing normally that day, and did not suffer any injuries before they returned home about 7.30pm.
Her husband stayed outside their apartment in Springfield Gardens when she took the baby inside to feed him, but before long she frantically called him inside.
Callaghan told police she changed his diaper and gave him a bottle. As she was burping him, she said the baby began to vomit and had difficulty breathing. 
Her husband found Jeremiah was vomiting and gasping for air, he told police, and he called an ambulance to rush the baby to hospital while he went into cardiac arrest.

Callaghan is seen [left] leaving court, after her release on Tuesday – six years after she her initial 2018 arrest

Baby Jeremiah was moved to Cohen Children’s Medical Center and put on life support, where he stayed until he died a week later.
Among the injuries recorded by the doctors were brain bleeding, extensive retinal hemorrhages in both eyes, a detached left retina, and major spinal cord injury, according to court documents.
An autopsy revealed the skull fracture in addition to these horrific injuries.
Callaghan who is due back in court in February faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.