"Newborn John" PARKER - 20 Days - Hillsboro (W of Decatur) AL

MOULTON - A Lawrence County man is in jail, accused of
breaking both of his 20-day-old son’s arms while he was trying to wrap
the baby in a blanket.



Aaron Laron Parker, 23, 1220 Lawrence 323, Hillsboro, is charged with
torture and willful abuse of a child, Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell said Thursday.
Parker is accused of pinning down the baby’s arms while he was trying to wrap it in the blanket.
“I can’t understand how something like this happens and never will,” Mitchell said. “There is no excuse for it.”
The sheriff’s office was notified by the Lawrence County Department of Human Resources.
“DHR was informed by medical officials at Parkway Medical Center in Decatur of the fractures,” Mitchell said.
“Once we got the information, our special victims unit began the
investigation and the investigators worked diligently on the case to
determined what caused the injuries.”
According to investigators, Parker said he didn’t mean to hurt the child, but he became upset with
the baby because he was crying and moving his arms and hands, and Parker
was having trouble getting him wrapped in the blanket.
“So he forcefully pinned the arms down and held the child to wrap the baby up,” Mitchell said.
Reports indicate the incident occurred in March.
Investigators said medical personnel at the hospital discovered the fractures while the child was being checked for hyperthermia.
Officials said during the last snow in early March, the family’s home, which is
heated by wood, had gotten cold and the mother was concerned about the baby getting hyperthermia.
“When the baby was at the hospital, the doctors discovered there were fractures to the child’s (arms),” Mitchell said.
He said medical personnel ruled out an unusual medical condition or accident.
“It was determined that abuse was the contributing factor to the injuries,” Mitchell said.
Investigators said Parker admitted to his involvement and said the incident occurred a
couple of days before the baby was taken to the hospital.
Capt. Tim McWhorter said the child’s mother was apparently at home at the time
but did not know of the injuries until the baby was taken to the hospital.
He said the child is doing fine and is under the custody of the Lawrence County DHR.
Parker is being held in the Lawrence County Jail on bail of $2,000.

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20110812/NEWS/110819953/1011/NEWS?Title=Father-faces-child-abuse-charge