[1]Danny Wing, right, appears before a judge today with a request to get a tooth pulled and be able to communicate with his wife who is also in the Lewis County Jail.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Lewis County prosecutors could end up charging more than Danny and Brenda Wing in the death of 3-year-old Jasper Henderling-Warner, the little boy who died while in the Vader couple’s care last fall.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said today part of the reason their sentencings have been put off until August is both defendants still have obligations, to fulfill their end of the bargain in their plea agreement.
One of those is undergoing polygraph tests, Meyer said this afternoon.
There is an additional investigation going on, and other charges may be filed against others, Meyer revealed during an afternoon hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.
The Wings, both 27, have each pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and third-degree child assault. The toddler died from what the coroner labeled chronic battered child syndrome last Oct. 5.
Jasper’s 21-year-old mother had given them temporary custody last summer while she was homeless and looked for work out of state.
Danny Wing was in court today, when his lawyer asked for a ruling on a motion to allow him to be medically furloughed from the jail, for oral surgery.
“My client’s been suffering dental pain since January to the present,” defense attorney Todd Pascoe said.
After some discussion, during which Pascoe said Wing’s mother planned to pay the bill and the trip, or trips to the local dentist would be handled by jail staff, the judge agreed.
However, Judge Nelson Hunt said, it shouldn’t be called a furlough, as the defendant would still be in the custody of jail staff and if something happened, the label could make a difference.
Other motions had been filed ahead of the hearing, including Danny Wing’s request for treatment, which the lawyers said could be better dealt with at sentencing.
The topic of other individuals possibly facing criminal charges came up as Meyer and Pascoe spoke about Danny Wing’s request to be able to have contact with his wife.
Pascoe said the couple are going to go off to prison for as much as a decade, and have issues to take care of including community property and also their three children.
“I’m not asking for a conjugal visit,” he said. “I’m merely asking for written and verbal communication.”
That’s when the judge asked Meyer to explain why the sentencing had been set so far in the future, and Meyer spoke about the ongoing investigation.
Judge Hunt agreed with Meyer the request for communication between the couple could be revisited later, after the polygraphs.
Outside the courtroom, Meyer spoke just a little more about the continuing investigation into the little boy’s death.
“We’re looking at anybody that had contact with the child,” he said. “We want to know the child’s movements, we’re making a timeline.”
Meyer indicated the investigation didn’t exclude Jasper’s mother.
Prosecutors want to hold all responsible, who are responsible for it, he said.
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For background, read, “Vader toddler: Few answers about death, after second guilty plea” from Thursday May 7, 2015, here [2]