4-year-old tells police he saw dad throw 4-month-old sister to the floor, Texas cops say
Police in Texas have arrested two people after they said their 4-month-old baby suffered brain injuries.
On May 21, the baby was taken to a San Antonio hospital to be treated for what her parents said was a stomach virus causing her to vomit, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a July 10 news conference. The baby was treated and then released by hospital staff.
On May 29, the baby was taken back to the hospital with similar symptoms. This time, the baby was found to have “fontanel fullness,” Salazar said. This is when the soft spot on a baby’s head is bulging, in this case due to a brain injury.
“They observed that she was lethargic. Her reflexes were not normal, and her eyes were beginning to bulge just a bit,” Salazar said at the news conference.
Medical staff discovered that the baby had brain bleeding and hadn’t gained weight since her last visit, Salazar said.
Family members told investigators that the baby’s father had been left to watch the baby days prior to the first hospital visit, officials said. After that, the family said they noticed the baby’s appearance changed, and she “appeared yellowish,” Salazar said.
As officials investigated, the baby’s 4-year-old sibling told authorities he saw his dad throw the baby to the floor and saw blood come from her head, Salazar said.
“God knows what he’s already seen, what he’s already witnessed,” Salazar said. “I’m proud of him that he told us what it was that he saw… He may never realize this, but he may have just saved the life of not just his little sister, but all of his siblings.”
Officials said the baby was the youngest of four siblings.
McClatchy News is not naming the parents to protect the identity of the children.
Salazar said authorities determined the baby’s injuries were most likely the result of her being thrown to the floor.
“They should be those that care for her the most, and right now, quite frankly, the only thing that I can see is they’re more concerned with saving their own skin,” Salazar said of the parents. “You would think they’re not talking about a real person, much less their own flesh and blood.”
The baby’s father is charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury, and the baby’s mother is charged with endangering a child.
This story was originally published July 11, 2024 at 12:55 PM with the headline "4-year-old tells police he saw dad throw 4-month-old sister to the floor, Texas cops say."
