Norfolk mother convicted of shaking infant, gets 1 year

NORFOLK

A mother convicted of severely shaking her 7-week-old baby was sentenced Friday to a year in prison.

Vonya Cataulin, 25, shook and beat her infant, breaking the girl's skull and ribs, according to court documents. Cataulin was convicted Friday of felony malicious wounding of the baby.

Norfolk Circuit Court Chief Judge Junius P. Fulton III banned Cataulin from any unsupervised contact with her children and any children younger than 10.

Cataulin brought the child to the hospital on New Year's Eve 2010 and told emergency workers her child was "acting differently," according to court records. Health care workers found the child suffered from multiple rib and skull fractures, court records state.

Cataulin initially told police she pushed on the child's belly to relieve gas. She later said she tripped over the baby as she slept in a car seat, court records state.

Prosecutor Jill Harris said in court Friday that the child still suffered the effects of the abuse.

"This is not a one-time incident," Harris said. "This was a pattern."

Defense attorney Emily Munn argued that Cataulin is mentally ill and needs treatment. Cataulin has had no contact with her children since the incident, Munn said.