Father pleads guilty to child abuse after 1-month-old found on Adams County median on Christmas Day

A father in Adams County, Colorado, pleaded guilty to child abuse after leaving his one-month-old baby on a median on Christmas Day. Jarvis Sims, 42, received a one-year deferred sentence as part of a plea agreement, meaning his case could be dismissed if he fulfills the court's conditions in that time. The incident garnered significant attention when the Adams County Sheriff's Office shared on social media that a baby was found abandoned in a car seat without proper clothing.

The alarming scene unfolded on December 25, 2024, when a passerby noticed the baby, dressed only in a diaper, and called 911. Deputies arrived and took the infant to Children's Hospital for evaluation, where tests revealed the baby had cocaine in his system. Following the incident, authorities managed to contact the baby's family and arrested both biological parents, including Sims and Christina Thurman, 33.

Court documents indicated that a domestic dispute preceded the incident, during which Thurman left their apartment. Sims allegedly yelled at her to retrieve the baby, but she refused, leading him to abandon the infant on the street before going home, claiming he had to work the next day. A witness recounted seeing the argument and urged Sims to take the baby back, but he insisted it was Thurman's responsibility.

Despite the chaos and charges against them, Thurman's family contends she should not be held accountable for the child's abandonment. They expressed that while she was present and witnessed Sims leave the baby behind, she intended to prevent further conflict with him. The family's perspective complicates the narrative surrounding parental responsibility in this distressing case.

Sims was formally charged along with Thurman on December 30, but he pleaded guilty to child abuse, leading to the dismissal of two additional charges. Thurman's legal proceedings are ongoing, with her next court date set for April 21. The situation remains fluid, as the community grapples with the implications of this troubling incident.