Indiana – An Indiana parent, 26-year-old NeiI, was arrested earlier this week and charged with feIony negIect of a dependent resuIting in serious bodiIy injury. The arrest followed an incident on May 8, when emergency responders were called to the family’s home in Indiana after the couple’s 3-month-old daughter became unresponsive.
According to police reports, the defendant and the child’s mom initially told officers that the infant had a gas bubbIe stuck in her throat and became unresponsive while they attempted to burp her. Emergency medical personnel observed that the baby was experiencing a seizure and transported her via helicopter to the Children’s Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed the infant with a bilateral subdural hematoma, which is a bleeding on both sides of her brain, and noted additional bleeding in her eyes and along her spinal cord. The injuries were consistent with trauma from being shaken or thrown.
During interviews with investigators, the defendant stated that upon returning home from work, he took the baby into the bedroom to burp her, slapping her back several times. He then placed her on the bed and began counting money. A short time later, he noticed the infant turning blue and unresponsive, prompting his wife to call 911.
The child’s mother corroborated parts of her spouse’s account but added that the baby had been crying uncontrollably before he took her into the bedroom. She reported that after approximately four minutes, the crying ceased, and the defendant emerged, stating that the baby wasn’t breathing.
Doctors reportedly told Indiana authorities that the child’s head injuries were consistent with trauma, likely from being shaken or thrown to the ground.
Following emergency surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, the infant suffered cardiac arrest and was placed on a feeding tube. Medical professionals indicated that a portion of her brain had stopped receiving oxygen, leading to cell death, and predicted that she would likely experience developmental delays.
The defendant was booked into the Delaware County Jail and released after posting a $20,000 bond. An initial court hearing has not yet been scheduled. This incident remains under investigation.