Man Who Abused Son With Hammer and Leash Takes a Plea Deal

SAN ANGELO, TX – A Tom Green County man who tied his son up to a garage door with a leash, beat him with a hanger, and a hammer took a plea deal last week that includes six years probation.  

According to court documents, on August 8, 2019, deputies with the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 700 block of West 19th st for the report of a child abuse case. The person who called in the complaint stated that there were bruises found on her 6-year-old son's legs. 

When deputies arrived they spoke with the boy who at first would not state what had happened to him. While photographing his legs the deputies heard the boy putting the blame on himself stating "that wasn't from nothing else my parents, that I did that that myself" while pointing at his bruised legs. He later stated that he had been tied to a door with a dog leash on August 5. 

The deputies described the boy's injuries as one red and yellow colored contusion on the victim's upper left thigh just below his hip. The contusion was linear in shape with a straight line on top and bottom. The contusion was at an angle up and down with the upper most portion of the contusion being near the victim's hip, and the lower portion of the contusions being directed towards the victim's inner thigh. The inner portion of the contusion was dark red in color with a yellow in color border. The second red and yellow colored contusion was on the victim's lower right thigh just above the knee was linear in shape with a straight line on top and bottom. The contusion was dark red in the center and yellow on the border. The contusion was angled with the upper most portion being on the outside of the victim's thigh and the lowest portion directed downward toward the inner thigh just above the kneecap. The deputies believe these injuries to be consistent with blunt force trauma. 

The following day the boy and his sister went to the Children's Advocacy Center for forensic interviews. The boy stated that Ronnie Shaw Winans, 26, tied the boy to a door with a leash. He continued by stating that the leash caused him physical pain and that he could not breath because it was "tight." The boy stated that he was tied up while Winans left the residence. He also said that he was beaten with hangers and bottles. When asked if anyone else was hit with the hangers the boy stated "No, daddy never throws hangers at them. Only me." When asked about the brusies on his legs he stated "I don't ever know. Some stuff, I was just asleep at grandma's house and things happen. That's all."  He finished by stating that he gets punished because Winans does not like it when he moves around a lot. 

The sister was then interviewed. She stated that she saw the boy being tied to the door and said that he could not breath due to the leash and his asthma. The girl stated that Winans and his girlfriend, Michele Rivera, would hit the boy in the legs with a hammer that the handle was wrapped in black electric tape. She finished by stating that she hid behind the chair when the boy was being hit with the hammer. 

Winans was arrested and booked for assault to a child that caused bodily injury. His bond was set at $15,000 and was released that following day. 

After months of court hearings, on June 6, Winans and the 119th district court came to an agreement. In exchange for a guilty plea. Winans would not spend a day in jail if he completes a six year deferred adjudication probation. This deal included that Winans pay a $1,000 fine, be on probation for six years, and attended CPS regulation classes.