Infant hospitalized with broken bones, brain damage. Father charged with child abuse

A Tacoma man is charged with breaking his 3-month-old son’s femur and ribs and causing brain damage to the infant.

The 38-year-old’s girlfriend told police he starting using heroin and methamphetamine in the weeks before the baby was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

Pierce County prosecutors on Monday charged the man with first-degree child abuse. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Charging papers give this account:

The infant’s mother took her child to the hospital Sept. 29 after the boy continuously woke up crying and she noticed bruises on his forehead.

Doctors at Mary Bridge noticed bruising on the baby’s forehead, cheeks, chin, leg and a bite mark on his arm, so they notified police of a possible child-abuse case.

The mother told officers she left all three children with their father on Sept. 28 while she ran errands.

When she returned home, she could hear the baby crying and “freaking out,” but when she went inside, the father allegedly insisted nothing happened to the boy.

Child Protective Services has been involved with the family in the past, records show.

Police went to the family’s home to speak with the father and found a 1-year-old and 3-year-old there alone.

All three children were placed in protective custody.

The baby suffered a fractured femur, fractured ribs, hemorrhaging in both eyes and bleeding in the brain.

He was sent back to the hospital Oct. 14 when he started having seizures. Doctors said the damage to his brain may affect his development.

Officers eventually found the baby’s father, who claimed he tripped and fell on his son.

Child abuse specialists said the trauma inflicted on the infant was not accidental.

This story was originally published November 20, 2018 at 9:14 AM.