A man from Jefferson City was arrested on Thursday for reportedly inflicting serious harm on an infant under one month old.
Legal filings reveal that on October 21, a baby was admitted to the University of Children’s Hospital due to severe injuries.
On Monday, the victim informed authorities that they were awakened by the intense screams and cries of the child. Upon discovery, significant injuries were observed, prompting immediate transport to a nearby hospital.
The individual reported being unaware of the circumstances surrounding the child, yet indicated that the accused, IsaiahWestley Brendon Smith, was responsible for the infant’s care during the early morning hours.
Additional inquiries conducted by the local police revealed that Smith’s first assertion was that the baby was inconsolable, yet they ultimately drifted off to sleep, after which he laid them down in their bassinet.
Officers observed Smith altering his account several times in the probable cause statement before arriving at a conclusive assertion.
Legal filings reveal that Smith asserted the baby’s head unintentionally hit a dresser with significant force before he positioned them into the bassinet head-first with force.
According to reports from JCPDSmith observed that the child’s head appeared irregular after the events, but thought it was merely a case of “migraine.”
Official records indicated that the child’s injuries comprised several skull fractures, bleeding in the brain, swelling of the brain, injuries to the orbits, facial bruising, and two fractured clavicles, which led to seizures.
A man faces charges related to the abuse or neglect of a child resulting in serious emotional or physical harm, as well as third-degree domestic assault.