UNNAMED BABY BOY - 11 mo / Accused: Mother; Michelle Feliciano - Chicago IL

Sunday, Apr. 22, 2012

Baby with toothpick puncture wounds hospitalized
The Associated Press

Chicago -- An 11-month-old baby remains hospitalized for puncture wounds caused by a toothpick and other serious injuries after authorities allege his mother cause the injuries in a "bought of frustration."

Twenty-three-year-old Michelle Feliciano of Chicago has been charged with felony aggravated battery to a child and misdemeanor endangering the health of a child. She is due in court Tuesday.

Bail was set at $900,000 last week.

Authorities say the baby boy suffered multiple skull fractures, a broken clavicle and puncture wounds on his foot caused by toothpicks, among other injuries. The baby's condition has stabilized.

Police say Feliciano told them she caused the injuries during a "bout of frustration"

A listed phone number for Feliciano couldn't be located Sunday.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating.

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/04/22/2150879/baby-with-toothpick-puncture-wounds.html#storylink=cpy

Chicago mom charged with brutalizing 11-month-old son in 'bout of frustration'

By Rosemary R. Sobol Tribune reporter
11:22 a.m. CDT, April 22, 2012

An 11-month-old baby boy remains hospitalized today and his mother is behind bars after police said that during a "bout of frustration," she caused multiple injuries to the child, including skull fractures and puncture wounds caused by a toothpick.

Michelle Feliciano, 23, of the 5400 block of North Monitor Avenue, is charged with three counts of felony aggravated battery to a child and two counts of misdemeanor endangering the health of a child, said New Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Police Department.

Feliciano is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Tuesday after Judge Edward S. Harmening set bail at $900,000 for her late last week in Cook County Criminal Court.

The baby remains hospitalized today at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where his condition had stabilized, authorities said.

The injuries were discovered the weekend of April 14 at the family's Monitor Avenue home in the Gladstone Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side. On April 15, the boy was rushed to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago and then transported to Lutheran General, where a hospital spokeswoman said he remains today.

Police said last week his condition had "stabilized" after suffering multiple skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, a broken clavicle, a burn on his hand, several puncture wounds on his foot caused by toothpicks, marks on his neck and a liver injury.

The baby's lethargic condition was noticed April 14 by a caretaker and Feliciano was arrested April 17, police said. The child's uncle had also been placed under arrest, but he was released and has not been not charged, police said.

During interviews with authorities, Feliciano said that during a "bout of frustration," she pulled her baby out of his crib with such force that she caused the fracture of the clavicle, and during another fit, used a toothpick to puncture her son's left foot, police said.

911 was called about 5 p.m. April 15 when a witness noticed something wrong with the baby and told the child's mother, who could not rouse the sleeping baby, police said. Another witness told authorities that she also saw the baby that day, limp in his walker and unable to hold his head up, police said.

A caretaker noticed the child was screaming, crying "nonstop" throughout the early morning hours April 14 and told authorities that he saw a burn on the child's hand about a week prior, police said.

When the mother was asked how the burn happened, she said the child touched a portable heater in the room, police said.

Police said the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services initiated a "safety plan" and placed the victim's siblings in the care of another relative.

DCFS spokesman Jimmie Whitelow confirmed last week the agency was investigating.

"DCFS is investigating allegations of abuse and neglect against the mother," said Whitelow, who said the agency has had no prior contact with the family and said his records indicated two other children in the household are now in the care of relatives.

Area North detectives are investigating.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-child-abuse-chicago-michelle-feliciano,0,691346.story