Devin Bemis and Shianna Gudde welcomed twin sons on November 12, 2025. Grayson and Elijah were precious little babies. But just two months after their birth, Grayson wound up in a Kansas emergency room. The baby had injuries consistent with child abuse, and police arrested his father. Sadly, Grayson held on for three more months but died on April 26. Following the infant’s death, Bemis could face even more charges.
Grayson suffered tremendously as a newborn.
According to court documents obtained by KAKE, emergency responders arrived at a home in the 300 block of South Tyler Road in Wichita, on January 21 around 1:30 p.m. They reportedly found Grayson unresponsive and began CPR. The fire department came a short time later and rushed the 2-month-old baby to the hospital in critical condition. Grayson was suffering with “great bodily harm, abusive head trauma, permanent disability or disfigurement.”
Police arrested Bemis a short time later.
Bemis has been in jail since January 26, per KAKE. He faces two child abuse charges, one for Grayson and another for Elijah. A judge initially set his bond at $1 million but lowered it to $400,000 in February. On April 24, just days before Grayson’s death, Sedgwick County District Court Judge Kevin Smith denied his request to visit his son one last time. That seems like a strange request from the man who is accused of putting him there.
Grayson’s obituary tells a sad story of a very short life.
Grayson, who spent much of his time wrapped in a Spiderman blanket, wasn’t on this Earth long, but he made a tremendous impact during his brief stay.
“He filled hearts with a kind of joy that will never fade. He even had his own little personality-especially how much he HATED having his feet touched, a memory that will always bring a soft smile to those who knew and loved him,” his obituary reads. “His favorite movie is Inside Out because of all the beautiful colors he got to look at and discover.”
It seems Grayson’s passing ended a time of great grief. “Grayson is now at peace, welcomed with open arms and paws by Raina, the dog and all his family whom have passed and will be surrounded by love as he watches over those he leaves behind,” the tribute continued.
The obituary mentions he’s survived by both parents and his twin. It’s unclear if Elijah received injuries like his brother’s. Even so, his life will never be the same.
Grayson lost his life at only 5 months old to horrific abuse. He was innocent. There’s nothing a 2-month-old infant could do to deserve this kind of treatment. As a matter of fact, no child deserves this, no matter what their age. Bemis will appear in court on May 7 and could face additional charges. With his son gone, that seems more than fair.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
