DAZMEN ROBINSON - 18 Months - Lawrence MA

http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x910017430/Uncle-charged-with-breaking-toddlers-legs

LAWRENCE — Christopher Murray confessed to police that he was tired, frustrated and out of cigarettes when he picked up his 18-month-old nephew by his feet and swung the toddler until his legs broke.

Murray "acknowledged that the injuries were not sustained while playing with the child and that he was angry at the time," Detective William Colantuoni wrote in a child abuse report where Murray "ultimately confessed that he and he alone inflicted the injuries" to his nephew, Dazmen Robinson.

Murray, 28, of 106 Water St., #3, was held without bail yesterday on charges of assault and battery on a child with substantial injury, intimidating a witness and a Haverhill District Court default warrant.

Dazmen, born on May 30, 2010, was treated at Massachusetts General Hospital for bilateral leg fractures of both tibias, soft tissue damage and swelling, injuries inflicted after Murray babysat the boy on Thursday, said Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Capachietti, citing from Colantuoni's report.

Murray also admitted to police that he tried to frame the boy's biological father for the injuries, Colantuoni wrote.

Last Friday morning, the boy's mother, Heidi Robinson, 23, took Dazmen to Pentucket Medical Center in Haverhill with swollen legs. A doctor there told her to take the baby to Mass General in Boston, where he was diagnosed with the leg fractures and other injuries.

Robinson told police she's been staying with her sister and her boyfriend, Murray, at the 106 Water St. apartment until she can find a place of her own.

On Thursday morning, Robinson told police that she and her sister walked to the nearby bus station while Dazmen was left in Murray's care. Murray called his girlfriend twice while they were out, the second time saying Dazmen "was screaming" and the "baby's legs were injured," according to the report.

After sleeping Thursday night on a mattress on the apartment floor, Dazmen woke up upset and clinging hard to his mother. She checked "her son's legs and discovered they were swollen," according to the report. Robinson took the boy to the doctor.

When he was first interviewed by police, Murray blamed the boy's injuries on his biological father, who he said stopped by the Water Street apartment, watched Dazmen briefly and then left the apartment abruptly. But Dazmen's biological father denied being rough with the boy and told police he'd spoken with Murray recently "about being rough with Dazmen," according to the report.

Armed with the new information, police re-interviewed Murray who confessed "that he alone inflicted the injuries" to Dazmen.

"Mr. Murray admitted to us that he has an anger problem and was frustrated this morning because he was tired and out of cigarettes. Mr. Murray admitted to swinging Dazmen by his feet until he began screaming," Colantuoni wrote.

Murray is expected back in court tomorrow for appointment of a public defender to handle his case.