Trial for father accused of abusing his 4-month-old son begins

Area children beat on the bass drum of Iron Giant Percussion at Mamie’s Place Children’s Library Monday. The children are taking part in the summer reading program. The next events for the program are movies today at 2 and 3 p.m. and Meet a Coach and McWane Science Center Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Cliff Williams / The Outlook)

On Christmas Day 2014, a cute, normal, dark-haired 4-month-old baby boy suffered injuries so severe he was left on life support and  – even a year and a half later – the toddler can’t eat on his own, can’t hear, can’t see and suffers up to 200 seizures a day.

This week at the Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville, a jury is trying to determine if the baby Gene McInvale’s father, 24-year-old James McInvale Jr. is responsible for what the charges call “aggravated child abuse” and “second-degree domestic violence.”