CPS: Child beating victim in very critical condition

JASPER COUNTY - Investigators say the father of a 5-year-old boy chased him around the yard with a chainsaw after beating him so severely the youngster is now in very critical condition at a hospital.

The child's father, John Cornelius, 24, is charged with Injury to a Child and jailed on a $500,000 bond.  Cornelius' girlfriend, Jessie Waddell, and her mother, Wanda Macks, 54, are charged with Injury to a Child and Failure to Report an injury.  Their bonds are a total of $140,000 each. 

Waddell isn't the boy's biological mother.

Shari Pulliam with Child Protective Services says Waddell and Macks told investigators Cornelius chased his 5-year-old son around the yard with a chainsaw last weekend because he was mad the child complained that his leg hurt after he was beaten. 

The boy had surgery Wednesday night and underwent a third operation Thursday afternoon at a Houston hospital. Pulliam says he's in critical condition and adjusting to a ventilator.

Pulliam says the boy has a MRSA staph infection which began in his leg and spread throughout his body. 

JASPER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - A Child Protective Services program director has said that it's the worst case of child abuse she has ever seen, and the life of the child is now hanging in the balance.

A 5 year old little boy, who investigators say was beaten by his father to the point that he was throwing up blood, remains in very critical condition in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital.

Child Protective Services Public Information Officer Shari Pulliam said on Wednesday that the child underwent surgery and received several blood transfusions on Monday night at Texas Children's Hospital. However, Pulliam said the child took a turn for the worse following the surgery.

Later on Wednesday, Pulliam gave another update on the child. She said that he will be undergoing another surgery on Wednesday night, and the next 72 hours will be very critical as to whether he will survive.

Pulliam said the child is also suffering from a very severe infection that has spread throughout his body.

Meanwhile, the man accused of beating the child, 24 year old John Clyde Cornelius, remains in the Jasper County Jail on a half million dollar bond. Cornelius was arrested, along with his girlfriend, 27 year old Jessie Lillian Waddell, and her mother, 54 year old Wanda Kay Macks.

Cornelius was charged with injury to a child causing disabling bodily injury.  His bond is $500,000.  Waddell and Macks were both charged with Injury to a Child and Failure to Report an injury.  Their bonds were set at $140,000.00 each. Waddell is not the biological mother of the child. 

Pulliam said four other children have been taken by CPS and placed with foster families.

Chief Deputy Ralph Nichols said it all began on Sunday evening when the child's biological grandmother took him to a Lufkin hospital after she discovered the injuries. Nichols also said on Wednesday that investigators now believe that the abuse had been ongoing.

The three adults, who lived in a small travel trailer with the five children on Farm to Market Road 252 about six miles south of Jasper, reportedly moved from Groveton to the Jasper area about a year ago. There is no information on the biological mother of the child or why he did not live with her.