WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A Wichita Falls father pleaded guilty to abusing his 3-month-old daughter in July 2018 and was sentenced to probation Thursday morning.
Jayson Whitacre Dodge, 26, of Wichita Falls, was convicted of injury to a child after entering his guilty plea on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in the 89th District Courtroom.
Dodge was given a 10-year jail sentence, suspended to 10 years of probation, and 160 hours of community service by 89th District Court Judge Charles Barnard. He will also serve 45 days in jail during weekends.
According to authorities, the child had a black eye and a fractured rib.
The child’s mother told police that she believed Dodge had something to do with it because he had, what she called, a hard grip and couldn’t control his strength.
The woman said Dodge would become frustrated when the baby would cry, something he also admitted to law enforcement.
Dodge told officers that he didn’t know how the black eye happened, but admitted he probably caused it. Police said he also told officers that he caused injuries to his daughter when she was a few months old too.
