A 20-year-old father has been charged with brutally assaulting his newborn son, leaving him with brain damage in a fit of rage over a missing vape.
Hunter Dalton from Ohio, US, was arrested last week and faces serious criminal charges of felonious assault, domestic violence by assault, and assault.
The police were alerted to the incident at around 12.30pm on Friday following reports of a domestic dispute at an apartment complex approximately 150 miles south-west of Cleveland. The emergency call was made by the baby’s mother, who had taken refuge with her dog in the building’s leasing office.
She informed the dispatchers that Dalton had threatened to kill both her and their one-month-old baby, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Upon arrival, the police found the mother still in the leasing office while Dalton was outside their apartment.
He was immediately taken into custody, and the police discovered the baby struggling to breathe in his cot. The infant was swiftly transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, six miles away.
Doctors stated that the newborn had suffered bleeding on the brain and brain damage but is expected to survive, reports the Mirror.
In a conversation with investigators, the mother of the child claimed that Dalton had strangled her the day before. She recounted how Dalton’s temper flared when he woke up and couldn’t find his vape device, and she refused to assist him in his search as she was looking after their baby.
His anger escalated when he noticed the family dog had chewed tissues around the house.
She alleged that Dalton then threw her to the ground, kicked the dog, tossed a fan across the room, and threatened to kill both her and the baby. She informed officers about Dalton’s “anger issues” since the arrival of the baby, describing him as “overwhelmed” and easily agitated.
However, Dalton denied any harm to his son. He reportedly told investigators that all he did was move the baby from his bouncy seat into the cot.
Whitehall’s Chief Deputy of Police, Shawn Wilson, spoke to WSYX: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the young child who was the victim of this horrific act. We remain hopeful for his full recovery and ask the community to join us in supporting him and his family during this difficult time.
“We also want to commend the outstanding work of our patrol and detective divisions, whose response to this case was marked by professionalism, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to justice. This is an ongoing investigation and we will provide updates as necessary.”
Dalton is currently detained at the Franklin County Correction Centre with a bail set at $1 million (£750,000). If released, he will be prohibited from making threats, possessing a firearm, consuming alcohol, or contacting the victims.
He is scheduled to appear in court for his trial on September 29.
