Investigation into the death of his infant son from pneumonia.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: A Pennsylvania man who was accused of endangering his daughter’s life by allowing her tooth to rot asked a county judge to let him withdraw his guilty plea on Friday.
Kenneth Wanamaker Jr., of Lehigh Township, said Saturday he didn’t neglect his 6-year-old girl and new evidence will support his innocence, according to local publication the Morning Call.
“I never endangered my child’s life,” Wanamaker said. “I never neglected care for my child. That’s not me.”
Last month, weeks before he was set to go to trial, Wanamaker, 37, pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering another person and false swearing. He was sentenced to 38 days to 18 months in county jail, plus six months of probation. In a motion filed April 22, he says he did not fully understand the charges when he pleaded guilty.
Wanamaker also claimed his Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel was violated, contending his attorney had no time to secure evidence and examine witnesses, reported The Call.
Authorities allege Wanamaker and his partner, Jessica L. Hoffman, allowed their daughter’s teeth to become so infected that their negligence could have cost the girl her life. Dentist Eugene McGuire testified in August that 16 of the girl’s 20 teeth were “either abscessed, needed to be pulled or had severe root and tooth decay.”
The girl was unable to receive any treatment until county caseworkers intervened.
The judge had given Wanamaker — who has been an inmate at Northampton County Prison since his bail was revoked in December — one month to enroll in an inpatient program to address his addiction issues, but court officials found he failed to comply.
The Morning Call also revealed the Northampton County district attorney’s office is now investigating the pneumonia-related death of the couple’s 7-month-old son in 2011.