A FORMER Martins Ferry woman, who has been in the Belmont County Justice Center awaiting sentencing on an involuntary manslaughter charge for the Jan.13, 2006 death of her infant son, was sentenced to seven years in the penitentiary Monday and will be eligible for judicial release in five years.

Christine Winslow wept as her sentence was handed down by Belmont Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Sargus on Monday.

Belmont County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Fry informed the court that her husband, Ceijay Winslow, was given a life sentence because he was the one who actually shook the infant boy.

Fry said, “The baby suffered a slow death, the shaking took place on Friday and the baby immediately convulsed. The defendant called the doctor and despite the fact that the doctor told them to bring the baby in on Friday, they didn’t on Friday, not on Saturday, and not on Sunday.” He added, “They didn’t take him in until Monday, when he died.”

Fry noted that Christine Winslow could have gotten life, but she wasn’t the one who shook him, she pleaded guilty and she was also not in charge of the home at that time.

At one point since the baby’s death, Christine Winslow was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was found to have an IQ of 70, according to Sargus.

Sargus said, “I can’t think of anything more deplorable or worse than what happened to that infant. I realize he did the shaking and that she was not present. I took into account her IQ and her own concern for her safety.

Christine Winslow has spent two years in the Belmont County Jail, so her actual prison term will be five years.

In other action, Bridgeport Police Officer Gerald Ray testified on behalf of the state in the case of Janet Ewart, no age available, 27-48th St., Wheeling.

Ewart, through her attorney Brett Fullom, was in court on a motion to suppress.

Ray testified that Ewart was driving a vehicle with her husband as the passenger when he and Bridgeport Police Sgt. Mike Hendershot noticed that her headlights were not on.

When the officers pulled the vehicle over the passenger attempted to get out and it was noticed that something was allegedly being concealed in his hand.

When the officers approached him and told him to get back in the car he said he was going to the restroom.

The officers asked Janet Ewart if they could search her vehicle and was allegedly told that they could.

When the vehicle was searched a small bottle that was field tested to have a small amount of cocaine was found in Janet Ewart’s purse, the passenger was found to have a large amount of money in his hand and a large straw and silver pipe were found with another container of white powder, later identified as cocaine.

Both attorneys were given seven days to respond to the testimony.

Richard A. Perko, Jr., 71181 South Sharon Road, Colerain, was in court for a motion to revoke bond. He had been charged with breaking and entering.

The reason for the revocation hearing was that on July 10 he was arrested in Bridgeport for allegedly damaging cars by breaking windows out, according to Dan Fry.

Fry said, “Then on Aug. 11 he tried to use a credit card (allegedly) taken out of one of those cars.”

He is waiting on a trial to be held on Aug. 12, but his bond was revoked by Sargus.

Hull can be reached at lhull@timesleaderonline.com