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Airman sentenced to confinement Jan. 28

  • Published
  • By 35th Fighter Wing
  • Legal Office
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  An Airman from the 35th Security Forces Squadron was found guilty at a general court-martial held at Misawa Air Base on January 28, 2014, of endangering the physical health of his one-month old daughter by causing her serious bodily injury.

Airman Leightenheimer was found guilty of intentionally causing a serious injury to his one-month old daughter by subjecting her head to force causing brain damage. Leightenheimer was also found guilty of fracturing several of his daughter's ribs by squeezing her around the chest.

A panel of officer and enlisted court members, sitting as jury for the week-long trial, sentenced Leightenheimer to a bad conduct discharge, five months confinement and reduction to the grade of E-1.

The Misawa Office of Special Investigations began investigating Leightenheimer on January 8, 2013, soon after his daughter was rushed to the Misawa Urgent Care Center and then later to Hachinohe City Hospital because she was having difficulty breathing and was unresponsive.