Illawarra dad charged after allegedly abusing 12-week-old baby and his pregnant partner
A 20-year-old Illawarra man has been slapped with 19 charges after he alleged physically abused a 12-week-old baby girl and his pregnant partner including “squeezing” and “karate chopping” the baby’s ribs.
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An Illawarra man accused of bashing his 12-week-old baby girl, allegedly leaving her with fractures to the skull, ribs and wrist has been refused bail in a Wollongong court.
The 20-year-old man fronted court for the first time on Wednesday, after he was charged with 19 offences by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad in relation the alleged abuse of the baby and his pregnant partner.
Magistrate Susan McGowan refused the man’s bail late this afternoon, after reading a set of “extremely disturbing” police facts tendered to the court.
According to court documents, there were concerns for the baby girl’s welfare before she was even born, due to both her parents’ alleged drug use, mental health problems and history of domestic violence.
After the baby girl’s birth in June, Family and Community Services (FaCS) stepped in and created a “Safety Plan” to assist both parents in curbing their addictions and maintaining the baby’s wellbeing.
According to the court documents, the baby was classified as being at ‘significant risk of harm’ just one month after she was born, after reports were made about bruises on the girl’s face.
On August 2, FaCS attended the parents’ home, where a caseworker allegedly noticed a faded bruise on the baby’s left temple, a scratch on her nose and small red dot on her left eye. After being questioned, the parents allegedly told the caseworker they “didn’t know” how the bruise had occurred, and that the scratches on her eye and nose were caused by the baby girl’s fingernails.
While on their visit, the caseworker allegedly noticed the baby’s father acting in an “aggressive” manner toward her, and noted the father seemed to be affected by drugs at the time of the visit.
Almost three weeks later, the 20-year-old visited an Illawarra FaCS office with the baby, when a caseworker allegedly noticed more bruising to the child’s head and face. According to court documents, when questioned, the man allegedly told the FaCS employee he was holding the baby near a wall, when she “threw her head back” and hit it.
The man allegedly told the worker the baby’s mum had taken her to Wollongong Hospital and was referred to a paediatrician, but that the pair had not yet made an appointment due to fina
As a result, court documents say FaCS followed up with Wollongong Hospital about the injuries, and were allegedly told there was no record of the baby visiting the hospital.
Following this, FaCS began the process of removing the newborn from its parents’ care.
On August 23, FACS visited the young family’s home to take the baby, but upon their arrival court documents say the couple barricaded themselves inside the home.
Police were called to the scene and assisted in the removal of the child, who was then taken to Wollongong Hospital for examination.
The examination allegedly returned horrific results, with doctors finding “multiple fractures” to the baby girl’s skull, fractures to her left and right ribs and a fracture to her arm. There was no record of the baby ever having presented to the hospital with these injuries, and they were deemed suspicious.
Due to the severity of the girl’s alleged injuries, officers from the child abuse squad visited the couple’s home and questioned them about their baby’s injuries.
Court documents allege the baby’s mother began crying when told about the extent of the little girl’s injuries, while the father became nervous and started to “shake uncontrollably”.
When asked about the most recent bruising to his daughter’s face, the man allegedly told police he was carrying her to the bedroom and as he entered the door, the baby threw her head back and her face struck the door frame. It’s also alleged he grabbed the child by the torso to keep her from falling from his arms.
Meantime, the mother allegedly told police she had left the baby with its father on numerous occasions, and that he was “at times frustrated” when the baby cried.
It’s alleged she also told police her partner had blamed her for the baby being removed from their care.
In a report to police, a paediatrician from Wollongong Hospital said the baby’s wounds were “highly suspicious for inflicted injuries”, and that the explanation given about the baby throwing her head back against a door did not fit the bruising on her head or ribs.
After receiving the report, police monitored the couple, where court documents say the man allegedly admitted to “squeezing” and “karate chopping” the baby’s ribs, hitting her head against the door frame, and holding her up by her hands.
While monitoring the pair, police allegedly caught the man assaulting, threatening and choking his young, pregnant partner several times over a three-day period, breaching an apprehended domestic violence order.
On one occasion in September, court documents say the man allegedly threatened to break the woman’s jaw after she tried to end her relationship with the man.
When the woman tried to talk to her partner about their baby’s injuries later that same day, court documents alleged he threatened to kill her.
“Yeah hold both her hands no head support no nothing. She’s three months old,” the mother allegedly said.
“Keep f***ing with that shit and I will f***ing kill you,” the father of the baby allegedly responded.
On Tuesday, police allege the man resisted arrest at the home he shared with his partner.
During his appearance in court on Wednesday, the man entered not guilty pleas to each of the charges, which included reckless grievous bodily harm, 10 counts of contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO, three counts of common assault, two counts of intentionally choke person without consent, two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm, and destroy or damage property.
After Magistrate McGowan denied his application for bail, the man, who appeared via audiovisual link from Wollongong Police Station, denied ever hurting his baby girl.
“I was massaging my baby’s ribs and she fell out of my arms when she hit her face - it wasn’t the back of her head, it was her face,” he said.
The matter will return to court in November.
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