A 21-year-old Waukesha father is being held on a $1 million cash bond after prosecutors accused him of physically abusing his 1-month-old son, who was found unresponsive inside a White Rock Avenue apartment on July 9 and later rushed to Children's Wisconsin with catastrophic head and internal injuries.
Prosecutors charged 21-year-old Taejon Rhodes with physical abuse of a child, first-degree reckless injury and misdemeanor bail jumping, and a Waukesha County court commissioner set cash bond at $1,000,000. Officers called to the scene just after midnight on July 9 said they found Rhodes kneeling over the infant, who was not breathing and had bruising around a left eye along with extreme swelling on his face.
According to a search warrant, Rhodes told investigators he had been holding the baby while scrolling on TikTok when the child rolled out of his arms. Officers measured the fall at roughly 36 inches. Doctors at Children's Wisconsin told investigators the child suffered a skull fracture, a brain bleed, bleeding along the spine and bleeding in both kidneys. Investigators said those injuries indicate direct force trauma rather than an accidental fall, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee.
Medical context
The combination of head injuries, spinal bleeding and internal-organ bleeding described by clinicians is closely associated with abusive head trauma in non-ambulatory infants. As outlined by the CDC, abusive head trauma results from inflicted blunt impact and/or violent shaking and is one of the leading causes of fatal child maltreatment.
When doctors suspect inflicted injury, hospitals typically alert law enforcement and child-protective services. Those alerts are intended both to protect any other children in the home and to preserve potential forensic evidence. Early medical intervention and coordinated reporting are central to the child's treatment and to the ensuing criminal investigation.
Legal implications
First-degree reckless injury is codified at Wis. Stat. §940.23 and is treated as a serious felony under Wisconsin law, according to FindLaw. Wisconsin court resources explain that felony classifications and sentencing ranges are set by statute and then applied by judges at sentencing, which can involve substantial prison time depending on the offense class and circumstances.
The cash bond set by the court commissioner is intended to ensure a defendant returns for scheduled hearings while also addressing public-safety concerns. Rhodes' case will move through the Waukesha County circuit court system for ongoing proceedings and scheduling. As in all criminal matters, prosecutors must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence.
Next steps and reaction
Neighbors told reporters they were stunned to learn of the allegations after seeing a heavy first-responder presence at the White Rock Avenue apartment. One neighbor said she was shocked when she later found out about the criminal case, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee.
The infant was transported to Children's Wisconsin by a special advanced-care unit and remains under hospital care, authorities said. Prosecutors and Waukesha police have said investigators relied on medical findings and a search warrant to build the case. Court records will list upcoming hearing dates as the case proceeds, while the baby's condition and the criminal investigation remain under official review.
