SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - A northern Indiana woman who spent more than five years in prison for battering her infant, who eventually died of the injuries, is pushing for visitation time with her other daughter.
Barbara Schrock was convicted of felony battery in 2009 for injuries suffered by her daughter, Natalia Benson, when she was just over 3 months old. Medical experts determined that the brain and spinal cord injuries dating back to 2005 were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.
The girl died in 2011 in a Carmel hospital. But prosecutors declined to file murder charges against Schrock, partly because an autopsy wasn’t performed.
On Tuesday, a judge ordered a psychological evaluation to see the possible effect visitation could have on her 12-year-old daughter, who now lives with her father. Schrock will have to pay more than $1,000 to cover half of the fee for the evaluation, the South Bend Tribune (https://bit.ly/1T5Ksp7 ) reported.
Schrock was released last summer from prison, where she was denied contact with her older daughter, and a month later filed court documents seeking visitation with the girl.
She has consistently denied her involvement in her daughter’s death and declined requests for comment.
Schrock’s father, Dan, published a book titled “Journey with ’Justice’” in 2012, which describes the family’s belief that she was unjustly convicted. Attorney Richard Elliott, who represents the girl’s father, has said the book is the main reason the Schrocks have been denied contact, because they could use it to try to convince her that Barbara Schrock wasn’t responsible for Natalia Benson’s death.
“The book is a distinct testament to the capacity of some people to literally deny what is obvious to everyone else,” Elliott said. “Everyone conspired against poor Barbara, because it’s all about Barbara.”
Schrock has admitted that she would encourage her older daughter to read the book.
“To deny the truth … it is a vulgar lie,” Elliott said, “and it is ultimately disrespectful to the little girl’s (Natalia’s) life.”
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Information from: South Bend Tribune, https://www.southbendtribune.com
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