A 20-year-old Hazel Park father was arrested after investigators say his 4-week-old son suffered a disturbing pattern of injuries, including fractures to both arms, legs and ribs, some of them at different stages of healing. Police say the man admitted he gets frustrated and cannot cope with the baby's crying, and that he took the infant into a bathroom before injuring his limbs.
Responding Officers Found a Baby in Pain
According to ClickOnDetroit, the investigation began after officers responded to a Hazel Park home on the evening of October 1 following a report of a baby with a broken arm. When officers arrived, the 4-week-old showed pain in his right shoulder and had bruising above his left eye, the outlet reports.
The baby was taken to a local hospital for treatment, where staff reported the infant had multiple fractures, including both arms, legs and ribs. Those injuries, the station notes, were at different stages of healing — a detail that pointed investigators toward abuse occurring over time rather than in a single incident.
Father Allegedly Described Taking Baby Into Bathroom
During questioning, the father allegedly told police he gets frustrated and cannot cope with the baby crying, and that he took the infant into the bathroom and injured the baby's limbs there, per the same report. He was arrested at the hospital, and Child Protective Services was notified about the case. The baby remained hospitalized as of the report.
The father was expected to be arraigned in court at 1 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026, per the outlet's account.
Pattern of Infant Abuse Cases in Oakland County
The Hazel Park case echoes other recent Oakland County prosecutions involving severe injuries to very young children. In one earlier case, Audacy reported that an Oakland County father, Daniel Gracer, 31, was accused of causing near-fatal injuries to his 2-month-old son by shaking him. A hospital child-abuse specialist concluded the infant's brain trauma was consistent with shaking, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the trauma was nearly fatal and that the child was likely to have severely delayed development. Gracer was arraigned on a charge of first-degree child abuse, which carries a possible life sentence, and was held on a $1 million bond.
In another Oakland County case detailed by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, a 6-year-old boy was found unresponsive in Madison Heights on July 30, 2024, and died the next day after being treated at two hospitals. Prosecutors charged Elaina Rose Jennings and Daniel John Giacchina with murder and first-degree child abuse, and the court denied bond for both defendants at their arraignment. Under Michigan law, first-degree child abuse is a felony punishable by life imprisonment or any term of years, according to the Michigan Legislature.
Prosecutors emphasize that charges remain accusations, and that anyone accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, per the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.
