Opinion ID: 1547407
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Simms' videotaped statement.

Text: In his statement, Simms asserted that on Sunday, November 5, 2000, his fiancee brought William to the home where Simms lived with his parents. Simms claimed that he had been slightly injured in an automobile accident on the preceding Friday night, and that he was therefore unable to perform his job as a chef for a few days. He therefore agreed to look after William, whom he claimed to regard as a son, while Ms. Calloway was at work. Simms told the police that on the evening of Monday, November 6, he and some friends were playing video games in Simms' bedroom. On that evening, William had a slight fever. William was lying down in Simms' mother's room, and he knocked down a glass vase. Simms used some force and smacked [William's] hand, and he popped ( i.e., slapped) William on the thigh, [2] apparently to discipline him for knocking down the vase. Simms then tucked William in the sheets real tight so he couldn't get out and returned to his friends. Notwithstanding Simms' efforts to keep him tucked in, William got loose and was about to fall; Simms tapped or popped him again. Simms further related that neither he nor William had slept during the night from Monday to Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, at Ms. Calloway's direction, Simms set out to give William a bottle. He picked William up and headed towards the stairs. En route, Simms was playing with William by shaking him, rubbing him, and putting William's arm in his (Simms') mouth and biting him on both arms in order to make him laugh. Thereafter, as he was walking downstairs with William in his arms, Simms' leg buckled and he fell, dropping William as he did so. Simms may have accidentally bitten William as a result of the fall. William also hit his head. A short time after the accident Simms noticed a bruise on the boy's forehead and a lump on his upper right thigh. William was also unable to hold the bottle. Simms called Ms. Calloway who returned home and called an ambulance. The ambulance arrived and, as previously described, William was taken to Children's Hospital.