CLEARFIELD – About one year ago, Matthew McGilvery of Clearfield was charged with causing injuries to his girlfriend’s baby.
Now, the child’s mother, 26-year-old Amanda Phippin of Clearfield, is in court on charges that she endangered the welfare of her 5-week-old son by allowing McGilvery to watch him while she was at work.
McGilvery was sentenced earlier this year after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, a felony. He is serving a five- to 20-year sentence in the state correctional system.
During McGilvery’s preliminary hearing, evidence was presented that the injuries the baby suffered were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome and Shaken Baby Impact Syndrome. Dr. Paul Bellino, who was not at the hearing, presented information in writing that the child’s injuries were “intentional and not caused by an accident or fall.”
Phippin waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on charges that allege she knew McGilvery would be caring for her son while she worked and that Phippin knew McGilvery expressed jealousy toward the child because he believed he was being neglected.
In addition, court documents claim that after Phipin returned home from work June 1, 2005, at about 7:30 a.m., she noticed that her infant was behaving strangely, refusing to eat, not being active and had several red marks on his back and legs. Although she knew this was not how the child behaved, records show, “she continued to wait a minimum of four or more hours before seeking medical attention for the infant.”
Phippin is free on $25,000 unsecured bail.