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

High School Sports

Bulldogs snag last minute win over Mustangs in thriller

High School Sports

PA Memorial narrowly escapes Legacy’s fourth-quarter comeback in clash of the Titans

High School Sports

PN-G cruises past Beaumont United on the road

Beaumont

Jefferson County Sheriff’s K-9 Duc remembered

Beaumont

Arrests made in Citgo gas station robbery

Beaumont

Dunkleberger receives prestigious P.E.O. STAR Scholarship

Beaumont

Crime Stoppers of SETX recognize heroes; Kelly Seigler earns Crime Stopper of the Year

Beaumont

Beaumont man sought for allegedly fracturing woman’s skull arrested in Port Arthur

Local

Port Arthur man sentenced for 2021 killing, assault Suspect denied cigarette— “those guys disrespected me.”

Beaumont

Services pending for former PAEDC Director Floyd Batiste

Beaumont

TxDOT seeking input on future of US 287

College/Pro Sports

Where are they now? Catching up with Coach Wade Phillips

High School Sports

Bulldogs trounce Raiders to open Scott Rich era

Local

Names added to Port Arthur’s homeless coalition

Beaumont

Spindletop Center Announces New Leadership in Adult Mental Health Services Team

Beaumont

North Carolina woman sentenced to federal prison for stealing from SETX organization, ordered to pay over $800,000 in restitution

Local

SETX Educational Development Foundation approves awards

Beaumont

Drug charges top this week’s indictments

Beaumont

Port of Port Arthur welcomes Andy Powell

Beaumont

Port Arthur man sentenced to 60 years in King Dewey case

Local

Port Neches Police – Calls and arrests from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25

Groves

Man with two murder charges arrested in Groves

Beaumont

VFW Post 4820, Auxiliary to host membership drive

Groves

Groves Police – Calls and arrests from Aug. 21 to Aug. 27