More details are coming out about the death of 1-year-old Travis Scott of Augusta and charges against his parents for killing him.
Travis was born prematurely and required a ventilator at home, which was facilitated through the Children’s Hospital of Georgia Pediatric Pulmonology Department.
Parents Tyrone and Salena Scott would have attended parent training on use of the ventilator. Family photos show the Scotts caring for their son at home for many months after he left the hospital, with the ventilator attached.
A local mother who also has a child with a ventilator says she attended the same vent clinic appointments monthly with the Scotts. She asked that her name be kept private.
“The doctors see the children monthly, and each month, orders are given for the child’s ventilator settings,” she said. “So, they would change a setting (or not depending on how the child was doing). But because his lungs weren’t strong enough, they would not allow the child to be off the ventilator.”
According to the mother, the ventilator records the hours that it is powered on. The ventilator logs could tell when and how long the ventilator was unplugged.
Travis was brought to Augusta University Medical Center on Feb. 13, where he was pronounced dead, Coroner Mark Bowen said. The death was not deemed to be a homicide and therefore was not immediately announced to the public.
But a death investigation led to discovery of child neglect. That included evidence that Tyrone and Salena Scott had turned off Travis’ ventilator multiple times.
“(The parents) were given orders by multiple nurses and respiratory therapist not to turn off the victim’s ventilator,” an arrest warrant says. “However, they went against medical orders and turned off the ventilator on several different occasions.”
That investigation led to the couple’s arrest on Tuesday, just four days after a celebration of life service was held at Jackson-Brooks Funeral Home in Aiken. Both were charged with murder and cruelty to children in the first degree.
“Premature children are coming home on ventilators more often now because technology allows it,” the local mother said. “But these children live happy lives when they are loved and cared for properly. Generally speaking, these children aren’t suffering as it’s being suggested. My child is one of the happiest children you’ll ever meet.”
Greg Rickabaugh is the Jail Report Contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at greg.rickabaugh@theaugustapress.com
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