From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
CLANTON — The case of a Shelby County man charged with aggravated child abuse and sexual torture was continued until August. The victim’s family says they are tired of waiting and are ready to see justice.
Shawn Wesley Averett, 34, of Shelby, pleaded not guilty after he was indicted on the charges out of Chilton County. Averett is accused of abusing a 15-month old baby boy. The redacted indictment can be read below.
Authorities were first alerted after the child was taken to Shelby Hospital with head injuries. The child was in critical condition but has managed to pull through. According to his stepfather, the child is still unable to walk or crawl, he has limited use of his left side and is learning how to speak again. But nearly a year later, the child has come off of a feeding tube.
As his son continues to improve, the father said he wants justice sooner than later.
“It’s been almost a year from the time this happened and he [Averett] still is free running the streets while our little one suffers daily and relies on everyone around him to help him with everything,” the stepfather said. “We just want legal justice severed so we can finally close a chapter in this horrible thing that happened.”
Averett was arrested by Jemison Police on July 18, 2019. He was released on bond the next day and indicted on Jan 31, 2020.
Averett’s case will go before a Chilton County judge for a docket call on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, at 8:30 a.m.