Douglas County man gets 40 years in child abuse case
A Douglas County man was sentenced to 40 years after pleading guilty to charges in a child abuse case, Assistant District Attorney spokesman David Emadi said.
Carmichael Crane was charged with two counts of cruelty to children and one count of aggravated battery for injuries he inflicted on his girlfriend’s daughter in November 2014. The mother left the 13-month-old in Crane’s care and went to work. When she returned home, she found the child lethargic and rushed her to the hospital. The child suffered from multiple broken ribs, a broken jaw, a lacerated spleen and liver, and damaged lungs.
According to doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the injuries were consistent with child abuse.
Crane also was charged with making a false statement to law enforcement officers for giving conflicting accounts of what caused the child’s injuries. Authorities said Crane gave three accounts of how the child was injured: by falling from a swing set, falling down stairs and accidentally being stepped on.
Chief Superior Court Judge Robert J. James sentenced Crane to 40 years with the first 20 years to be served in prison.
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
