Unfit

There is just no end, it seems, of these dreadful trials where the most odious child abuse is revealed to the public. It is almost impossible to fathom that a man would act out violently toward his seven-week-old baby. So consistently and so violently as to create a future for the child that is utterly bereft of normalcy. Inflicting upon the child blindness, delayed intelligence and an utterly bleak future. That child, now three years of age, is blind, cannot speak other than the most basic sounds.

This is 'Jay' as a baby. He is now three years old.

The little boy, whose full name is understandably withheld is unable to stand or walk without assistance. As a baby he suffered catastrophic brain injury. It is his father who is now on trial in Toronto. He has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and an additional two offences with respect to the injuries sustained by the child. And one count of assault against his former common-law wife, the baby's mother.

Joao (John) Rosa is now 23 years of age. When his child was born he was 19, the child's mother 18 years of age. The child's mother's family disapproved of her choice of a partner in life, and she was estranged from them. There were no neglect charges lodged against the mother. When they moved in together, they had a little two-bedroom apartment, and the young woman worked, while John Rosa did not.

John Rosa in 361 University Ave. court Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013. (Pam Davies sketch)

Her common-law partner was a lay-about. She worked until the baby was born. While he did nothing other than play video games and hang out with his pals. When the baby was born they lived on welfare. While she became a housewife and caring mother, he indulged himself however he wished. While controlling everything she did; whom she could see, how she should dress, and she obeyed.

They had arguments, and he began to be violent with her. He would fling her about. Once he punched her in the stomach, tried to choke her and kicked her where she had stitches from the delivery of their child. He also began banging the baby about discreetly, when she wasn't around, although noticing a bruise or two she queried him and he denied, denied.

One day the baby was unresponsive. She fed the baby through a dropper, bathed it, but the baby hardly responded. His father had developed a habit of tossing the 7-week-old baby into the air, terrifying the infant, but when the mother demanded he cease, he simply laughed. She explained he wasn't yet old enough for that kind of treatment, to little avail.

The baby failed to wake for his usual night-time feeding and in the morning he was feverish. She informed her partner they would have to take the baby to hospital. He simply continued palling about with his friends, finally came up to the apartment, demanded dinner, and had a shower. And then acquiesced to driving the baby to Sick Children's Hospital.

Where doctors examining the baby found him with seven broken ribs, four broken leg bones, bleeding in his eyes and brain. And a skull fracture "almost from ear to ear", in the description of the trial prosecutor. Feverish work on the part of the medical staff saved the baby from imminent death.
Six weeks later, on his release from hospital he was given over to the care of a child-welfare agency.

Now three years of age, he lives with a foster mother who is also a nurse. His mother has supervised visits. She is expecting another baby, this one with a new boyfriend.