Lehigh Acres Man charged with aggravated child abuse
A Lehigh Acres man has been charged with aggravated child abuse after officials say he shook a crying infant, causing her to suffer bleeding to the brain.
“The infant suffered from bleeding in the subdural and subarachnoid spaces, as well as the hemorrhages behind both eyes and an occipital fracture,” a release from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office released Friday states. “The infant was released from the hospital last night and is in the care of her grandparents.”
Louis Lee Murph Jr., 23, of 5900 Paula Avenue was charged Thursday after investigators were called by medical personnel.
According to the subsequent investigation, the female infant had been transported to a local hospital by EMS to a local hospital, spontaneously stopping breathing and having seizures. While there, doctors reported to authorities that injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Following testing, medical staff determined the child was suffering from bleeding of the brain; the decision was made to air-lift the child to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami for care. In the doctor’s opinion, “the baby was shaken or a combination of being shaken and having suffered a blunt impact to the skull.”
The investigation revealed that Murph had walked into the house, where the infant was supposed to be sleeping, and instead heard the child crying, the release states.
“He went into the bedroom and attempted to console her. He held the baby and shook her up and down in a vertical and horizontal motion. She continued to cry and then started seizing. Murph then brought the infant outside to her mother,” officials said.
Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office