Louisiana – A Louisiana man was taken into custody and booked on charges that include second-degree crueIty to juveniIes, crueIty to juveniIes and domestic abuse battery or chiId endangerment, Louisiana authorities said.
Law enforcement opened the inquiry after medical staff at the hospital reported a 5-month-old baby with head sweIIing and a fractured skuII. Hospital personnel told deputies the infant was brought in by a friend who had taken the child from the defendant’s, 30-year-old D. CIark, home the day before, prompting a criminal investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators documented steps taken at the scene and gathered medical and witness information to build a timeline. Deputies interviewed hospital staff, the friend who transported the child to care, and the defendant. Medical records and the baby’s transfer to a higher-level pediatric center for critical care were reviewed as part of the probe. The sheriff’s office said the infant lived with the man as his adopted child.
According to court documents obtained by local media, the man told responding officers that on Sept. 14 the baby had been fussy during a feeding and would not stop crying. He said he “snapped” and alleged he sIapped the baby in the head after trying multiple times to caIm the child. The friend who later removed the infant from the home took the child to the hospital the following day after becoming concerned, according to the affidavit and police reports.
Police executed their investigative duties by collecting witness statements, securing the home for evidence review and coordinating with medical personnel to obtain records about the infant’s injuries. The infant was then transferred to another hospital for more advanced care. Deputies said they processed the scene and reviewed surveillance or other available evidence as part of routine procedures in a child injury case, and prosecutors are reviewing the findings to determine formal charging decisions and any further investigative steps.
Officials said the local hospital raised the initial alarm after seeing the infant’s injuries and that a coworker at the defendant’s workplace, confirmed the man was an employee in Iabor and deIivery until his arrest. The hospital placed an employee status notice and later confirmed the staff member was no longer employed pending the outcome of the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office set bond and processed the arrest according to local procedures.
The defendant’s arrest followed the medical assessment that found a fractured skull and swelling, injuries serious enough to warrant transfer to a facility equipped for pediatric trauma care. Louisiana authorities described the injuries as requiring immediate medical attention, and they notified child welfare and relevant agencies as part of the response to suspected child abuse. The sheriff’s office said the friend who brought the infant to the hospital acted out of concern for the child’s welfare, and investigators continue to follow up on potential additional witnesses and evidence.
Court documents and local reporting show the defendant’s bond was set by the court and that prosecutors will pursue the charges while the criminal process moves forward. The sheriff’s office asked anyone with relevant information to contact investigators.
