A Minnesota man is behind bars after police say he assaulted his 11-week-old baby when the infant wouldn’t stop crying.
According to court documents, Tyler Lee Drake, 20, was charged with assault on August 30, after an investigation led police to determine his newborn’s injuries were not accidental. Brainerd Dispatch reports that Drake is facing three felony counts of third-degree assault for causing substantial bodily harm, assaulting of a child under 4, and malicious punishment of a child.
Authorities learned of the incident on August 27, after Staples Hospital contacted the Brainerd Police Department about intentional injuries on a patient. When authorities arrived, an emergency department doctor and nurse explained that they found injuries on the baby that indicated severe child abuse.
Court documents indicate that the infant had a broken clavicle, a tongue injury, and bruising on his chin and jaw.
Police first interviewed the mother, who stayed behind at the hospital after Drake left. Initially, the mother reportedly denied any abuse but when confronted with the evidence, allegedly admitted that she was in bed on August 26 with Drake and the infant, when Drake shut the crying baby’s mouth with his hand.
The mother added that Drake shook the infant so harshly that she could feel the bed shaking. Officials said the bruising on the baby’s face likely happened with someone grabbed him, and the tongue injury likely happened when the baby bit down on his tongue while someone held his mouth shut.
Investigators arrived at Drake’s residence to interview him, but the suspect denied injuring the baby. He reportedly claimed the baby could have fallen out of a bouncer and hurt himself. Drake did, however, admit that he has held the baby’s mouth shut in the past, but claimed he didn’t do that anymore.
Authorities arrested and charged Drake. His next scheduled court hearing has been set for September 24.
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