By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Danny A. Wing has pleaded guilty in the death of the 3-year-old boy he and his wife were taking care of at their Vader home, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the one who killed the child.
And it doesn’t mean his wife is exonerated, or that she’s necessarily the one who killed the toddler either.
Danny Wing
Authorities say Jasper Henderling-Warner died from ongoing child abuse and charged both Danny Wing, 26, and Brenda Wing, 27, last November in Lewis County Superior Court.
Charging documents in the case lay out facts that describe a variety of week’s old injuries and conflicting statements from the married couple whose home Jasper lived in. His 21-year-old mother had asked the couple that summer to take him for a year, while she was homeless and looking for work out of state, according to authorities.
The criminal investigation began the night of a 911 call on Oct. 5 from Brenda Wing that Jasper was unconscious at their home on the 400 block of Main Street in Vader. He was transported by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Wings were arrested and charged a month later with homicide by abuse or, in the alternative, first-degree manslaughter. The two crimes have widely different penalties. Each of the two were charged as either the principal or accomplice.
Brenda Wing
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said Danny Wing pleaded guilty last Thursday to first-degree manslaughter and also to assault.
It came out of a plea agreement, in which prosecutors will recommend Danny Wing be sent to prison for 16 years and four months, according to Meyer.
The hearing took place without being noted on the court’s regular calendar, because the defense attorney from out of town was here, and the deputy prosecutor and the judge found time to just go ahead and do it, according to Meyer.
Danny Wing admitted he didn’t properly care for Jasper, Meyer said.
But what exactly took place and who did it is still not clear.
“That’s one of the things we all want to know,” Meyer said. “What happened.”
The autopsy found abrasions, bruises as well as healing fractures and labeled the cause of death as chronic battered child syndrome. Jasper was suffering from skin infections that were found to be secondary to his cause of death.
Meyer indicated part of the deal is Danny Wing must cooperate and share some information.
Jasper Henderling-Warner
“We’re anticipating we’ll learn more, as part of the agreement,” he said today. “It’s also fair to say, additional investigation will take place, now that he’s pled guilty.”
While the specifics are still unknown, Meyer said he still believes they both are responsible for the death.
“We’ve always alleged they both had a hand in it,” he said. “We’re not changing our position at all.”
The Wings remain held in the Lewis County Jail.
Brenda Wing’s trial is scheduled for trial in May.
Meyer said he doesn’t know when Danny Wing’s sentencing hearing will be held, but expected it would not take place until Brenda Wing’s case is finished.
Separately, the Lewis County coroner has initiated a court action to ask a judge to settle the question of which funeral home he should call to pick up the body from the coroner’s office to be cremated.
On Jan. 28, Coroner Warren McLeod was freed from the prosecutor’s hold on the body, and tried for two weeks to get unified direction from the unmarried parents before filing the civil action on Feb. 11.
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For background, read “Coroner: Ongoing physical abuse led to Vader toddler’s death” from Friday November 7, 2014, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Yes, Shelton is where the receiving units (R-units) are.
Once classified (6-9 weeks) he will be shipped to his home institution. Given his age & offense he will most likely go to Clallam Bay, Walla Walla or Airway Heights.
In Spokane prision I mean
Actually he will eventually sent to the prision in Spokane. Shelton is an intake prision. Hard core, bad a** criminals & murderers end up there.
mother & grandmother: that would be the baby she cut off it’s head? Please do not defend her actions.
Your daughter killed a living & breathing baby also.
really Myers you give my daughter 30 years for a miscarriage to a baby that the DR. say wasn’t gonna live being out of the womb any how you give this couple a plea of 16 years your one sick person and i wonder why you still have a job in office i wonder how you can sleep at night let alone look at yourself in the mirror maybe your the one that needs to be locked up…….
The junkie ass “MOM” should be charged also for putting that beautiful boy in peril.
I think the label “Pieces of Shit” is a quite fitting. Now someone open the cell door and turn off the lights!
16 years for letting a child slowly die. Yet drug dealers get the same amount.
And still poor Jasper is at the coroner’s office because the two “loving”parents can’t put aside their shitty differences and just choose one mortuary. They both want Jasper cremated and the ashes split between the two of them. All the coroner needs, by law,
is to have them both agree on a mortuary and yet he has to take the parents to court because they won’t agree.
The only innocent person is Jasper. The rest of the players are all pieces of shit. Sorry gang I usually do not use foul language on here but cut it out. Let the coroner release the child so he can be laid to rest.
Poor Jasper, My heart hurts for you buddy. You had your whole life ahead of you. I am sorry that there are monsters in this world. We would have welcomed you into our family in an instant. Rest in peace Jasper, I hope you are playing with puppies & enjoying what should have been a safe life.
Danny & Brenda Wing, the word is already out to everyone at Shelton & Purdy. You may not make it out of the R units yet…….
I hope these two pieces of shit rot in hell! 16 years…. ha! Goodluck your time is coming!