DATE: Friday, November 21, 1997             TAG: 9711210675

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   39 lines

TEEN-AGER GETS 65 YEARS IN ABUSE OF 3 CHILDREN

A Norfolk man was sentenced to 65 years in prison Thursday for abuse and sex-related crimes he committed while baby-sitting three children, one of whom was left blind, brain-damaged and confined to a wheelchair.

The charges involved a 3-year-old girl and 7-month-old twin boys.

Jerrod Fairley, 19, was convicted in July on three counts of felony child abuse, one count of sexual object penetration and one count of indecent liberties.

Prosecutor Lauri D. Hogge said the charges stemmed from an incident that happened during Labor Day weekend 1995, when the children were left in Fairley's care.

A juvenile co-defendant - whose crimes involved the 3-year-old - had been previously convicted in the case, Hogge said.

One of the boys was burned, she said. Another, now in a wheelchair, had a lasso pulled around his neck and suffered a skull fracture.

Hogge said the children's mother first realized something was amiss when the boy with the brain injury suffered seizures and had to be rushed to a hospital. But the other children remained in Fairley's care while she was there, Hogge said.

When the mother returned, the other twin had a burn mark. She questioned Fairley, but still left the girl with him.

That was apparently when the other assault occurred.

Fairley must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or 55 years.

Defense attorneys argued strongly to consider Fairley's age and that a co-defendant was involved, Hogge said.

But Hogge argued to Judge Charles E. Poston that he consider the severity of the injuries and the number of victims.

``I don't know how you can ask for anything less than a very lengthy penitentiary sentence,'' said Hogge, who asked for a life sentence. ``That's essentially what he got,'' she said. ``We're pleased with the outcome.'' KEYWORDS: CHILD ABUSE SEX CRIME SENTENCING

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