Brayden Joseph Whalen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On December 29th Daniel Lunsford shook his girlfriend’s six month old son Brayden so violently causing internal injuries to his head and chest and severe bruising to his head, cheek, lips and ears." Navy sailor Daniel Lunsford told his girlfriend later in the day Brayden's injuries were caused by a cat landing on Brayden and him falling into a wall. Brayden's mother, Brittany Whalen is an Emergency Medical Technician certified since June of 2010.Whalen stated that even though she thought the injuries were significant and did not truly believe they were caused the way she was told by Lunsford she did not take her son for medical attention out of fear of having Brayden taken from her. Lunsford never attempted to get medical attention for Brayden until he believed Brayden had stopped breathing on January 1st.

 

It was on New Year's Day three days after the assault that Brayden was finally taken to a hospital. He ended up being airlifted to Norfolk General Hospital and was later transferred to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk. Brayden’s skull was fractured, his ribs broken, he had was having trouble breathing and he was diagnosed with significant brain trauma. Brayden was placed on life support.

 

Lunsford and Whalen were arrested on January 3rd as Brayden fought for his life. They were each charged with felony child abuse, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and one count of failure to secure medical attention, punishable by up to 12 months behind bars. On January 5, when Brayden lost his battle for life and died murder was added to Lunsford's charges. Second degree murder is punishable by between five and 40 years in prison.

 

Lunsford changed his story and told Police that he had been carrying Brayden and had tripped over the cat and that had caused the injuries. Police told Lunsford that they didn't feel they were at the truth yet. Lunsford then said Brayden was crying and would not take a bottle and nothing seemed to be helping, it was causing him to be stressed out so he smacked the baby on the cheek, but not hard. Daniel said that he then put Brayden on the bed and walked out of the room saying that everything was find except for that one moment when he hit Brayden on the cheek.Police searched the home and a silver ring was removed since it was worn on the hand that Daniel had used to hit Brayden. Daniel and Brittany's cell phones were also taken and found to contain messages from the past 72 hours along with pictures of the injuries to Brayden's body.

 

Lunsford will spend 20 years in prison. Brittany should have been in court facing her part in her son’s death in September of 2014, but for some reason the trial was moved and set for May of 2015.

 

Brayden’s mother Brittany send out this message after she allowed Daniel Lunsford to abuse her son and not seeking medical attention to protect herself.