TA'JON COOPER - 1 month / Charged: Father; Joshua Cooper - Fairfield CA

Family defends father accused of biting off piece of infant son's nose

Posted: 6:15 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2014
By Rob Roth, KTVU.com

FAIRFIELD, Calif. —  A family member of the young Fairfield father accused of biting off part of his infant son's nose was defending the man Friday, saying the injury was an accident and insisting he was "not a monster."

18-year-old Joshua Cooper is in Solano County Jail, charged with child endangerment and mayhem, after police say he bit off about a third of the nose of his one-month old baby boy. He is being held under $765,000 bail.

"The investigation revealed he was frustrated that the child would not stop crying," said Fairfield Police Lt. Stephen Crane.              

But a woman claiming to be a relative of Cooper told KTVU by phone: "It was an accident. The story being told is not what happened. He [Cooper] is not a monster."

The caller asked that KTVU not reveal her name.              

Police told KTVU the infant's 17-year-old mother called authorities just after it happened Thursday morning. They said eight people including Cooper and other family members were in the apartment at the time.

The piece of the nose was recovered, but the only information on the baby is that he was in stable condition Friday.

Police said the baby also has other injuries, but don't know yet when or how the baby got them.

"The child also suffered a skull fracture and a brain hemorrhage. The family has been cooperative," said Crane.

Neighbors at the complex told KTVU the family keeps to themselves.

"From what I've seen, they're a pretty decent family. Everybody's quiet," said area resident Tenea Cagler.

Mementos on the window sill of the family apartment gave no indication of the horror that happened inside.

Neighbors said they saw no signs of trouble.

Cooper denied KTVU's request for a jailhouse interview. Police said Cooper has no criminal record as an adult, but would not discuss his juvenile record.

Cooper is scheduled to make his first appearance in Solano County Court on Monday afternoon.

Child protective services has been called in on the case.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/family-defends-father-accused-biting-piece-infant-/nfDMm/

Father charged for biting part of infant son's nose off

Posted: 6:06 p.m. Monday, March 17, 2014
By Rob Roth, KTVU.com

FAIRFIELD, Calif. — The 18-year-old man accused of biting off part of his infant son’s nose was formally charged with child abuse, child endangerment and aggravated mayhem Monday.

Joshua Cooper is accused of biting a third of the nose of his son, month-old Ta’jon, because police say, the baby wouldn’t stop crying.

Ta’jon’s mother, 16-year-old Angelika Riggins, says she was in the bathroom when the trouble began.

"Two minutes later I come in to a disgusting scene," said Riggins. “I didn't see no anger that morning. I didn’t see no stress that morning. He was up playing with the baby. My heart is broken."

Children’s Hospital in Oakland says doctors last week performed a five-hour surgery to re-attach the baby's nose. They're still waiting to see if the operation was successful.

But there is more trouble for the baby.

Ta'jon also has a brain hemorrhage and a fractured skull.

Riggins said she’s worried about what may have been happening before the latest tragedy.

"That my son was being hit the whole time? Or something happened behind my back, before," she said outside court Monday.

Cooper's friends say the charges against him are out of character.

"He was just a joyful guy," said one man who says he has known Cooper for the past four years.

Cooper did not enter a plea to the charges.

He is currently being held on $750,000 bail.

Baby Ta’jon is currently in the custody of Child Welfare Services but the boy’s mother says she intends to go to court to try and get the boy back with her.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/man-charged-biting-part-infant-sons-nose/nfFfc/