A 52-day-old Fond du Lac infant was rushed to a local hospital in the early hours of March 17, then transferred to a Milwaukee children’s hospital after doctors found multiple rib fractures, a broken clavicle and a throat injury that required surgery. As detectives dug in, police say they uncovered additional injuries. On April 28, a 25-year-old man connected to the child was interviewed, taken into custody and booked into the county jail on a tentative charge of physical abuse of a child - reckless causation of bodily harm, a Class H felony.
Police statement
According to the Fond du Lac Reporter, the City of Fond du Lac Police Department said in a news release that officers were first notified around 3:19 a.m. on March 17 after the infant was brought to a local hospital, then moved for higher-level care. “Our detectives, officers and partner agencies have worked tirelessly on this case from the moment we were notified,” Lt. Nick Hahn said in the statement. The department said investigators reviewed medical records from multiple providers and interviewed medical professionals as the case developed.
Medical findings and probe
Medical staff at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee determined the infant had multiple rib fractures, a fractured clavicle and a throat injury that required surgery. Detectives later learned the baby had additional injuries, NBC 26 reported. Investigators worked with Fond du Lac County Child Protective Services, dug through records from several medical providers and conducted numerous interviews with witnesses and medical personnel. Police have not released the suspect’s name and said no further information will be shared until after the man’s initial court appearance.
Charges and state law
The man faces a tentative charge of physical abuse of a child - reckless causation of bodily harm - under Wisconsin’s child abuse statutes. As outlined in the state’s child abuse law, reckless causation of bodily harm to a child can be prosecuted under different felony classes depending on the severity of the alleged injuries, according to the Wisconsin Statutes. Sentencing in Wisconsin is bifurcated under Wisconsin Statutes, and a Class H felony carries a maximum of up to six years of imprisonment, typically structured as up to three years of initial confinement followed by up to three years of extended supervision.
What happens next
The case has been referred to the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether to file formal charges at arraignment, WBAY reports. The man remains held at the Fond du Lac County Jail, and police say the investigation is still active.
Local context
Authorities and child safety advocates note the arrest comes during a troubling stretch for Fond du Lac County, which has seen other serious child-related incidents in recent weeks, including a fatal shooting earlier in April involving a toddler killed by sibling. Law enforcement is asking anyone with information related to the infant’s injuries to contact the Fond du Lac Police Department as the inquiry continues.
