PA woman sentenced to 65 years in child abuse case

BEAUMONT — A Port Arthur woman who was found guilty o two counts of injury to a child was sentenced to 65 years in prison on Monday.

Christine Johnson, 22, received the 65 year sentence on a charge of knowingly by omission causing injury to her then five-week old daughter Faith Mason. The child, dubbed “Baby Faith” by media, suffered more than 40 broken bones and fractures and brain damage. Some of her injuries occurred at the age of two-weeks old.

Johnson was also found guilty of the second degree felony of reckless injury to a child and received the maximum punishment, 20 years.

A jury of 11 men and one woman deliberated a total of three hours on Monday.

Prosecutor Randi King said Johnson will serve the sentence concurrently and would be eligible for parole in 30 years. King prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Pat Knauth.

“We feel good about the length of the sentence,” King said via phone after the trial was concluded. “This amount of time ensures that by the time she gets out she won’t be having any children, keep her from doing this again.”

Though the trial is over, Baby Faith remains in a therapeutic foster home out-of-town. The child, now 2, cannot walk, talk or eat on her own.

“She still needs a forever home,” King said. “CPS is interviewing families and there are many children in CPS care statewide who need forever homes like that. A safe, secure place to grow up where they can have a real childhood.”

Faith Mason was brought to Christus Hospital-St. Mary on Aug. 18, 2013 suffering from a broken neck that medical experts said was due to being jerked and having her head hyperflex. Further tests showed more than 40 broken bones, some of which occurred three weeks prior, as well as brain damage.

E-mail: mary.meaux@panews.com

Twitter: MaryMeauxPANews

SportsPlus

Beaumont

Orange County Sheriff’s Office seeking help in finding missing woman

Beaumont

Dugas removed from Groves EDC board

Beaumont

National Night Out focuses on community networking

Beaumont

Sunday leads Nederland past Dayton, 41-17

Beaumont

Tina Louis, mother of King Dewey sentenced to 50 years

Beaumont

Gilliam to retire, cannot serve as judge again as part of agreement

Beaumont

Port Neches massage parlor shut down, owner arrested on prostitution charge

Beaumont

Rita Manuel preserving Zydeco, Creole culture through the lens — Exhibit of her work opens Saturday

Beaumont

Port Neches traffic stop led to discovery of drug lab, arrests

Beaumont

Nederland “career robber” sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

Local

Homecoming win for Memorial Titans

Local

Nederland Bulldogs beat Splendora Wildcats in Friday night’s district opener — 63 to 12

Groves

PN-G wins over Montgomery Lake Creek

Local

Memorial High School  Homecoming Queen & King 2024

Beaumont

Hamshire area boater charged with intoxication assault after bridge incident, passenger in critical condition

Beaumont

Gulf LNG Tugs of Port Arthur Expands Fleet with Four New Tugboat Orders

Beaumont

Texas Job Growth Surges with 78,000 Jobs Added in August

Beaumont

Area travel agent facing new charges

Beaumont

Use it or loose it; keeping the Cajun French language skills alive

Local

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: Sabine Pass’ Larry Gregory named Philpott Teacher of the Month

Beaumont

Recovery made in critical missing man search

Beaumont

Pecan Festival Parade set for Saturday

Beaumont

Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding precious metals buyers

Beaumont

Christus opening new medical facility in Southeast Texas