ISABELLA SMITH - 8 weeks (6/2014)/ Suspect: Mother's BF; Manuel Hernandez - Battle Creek MI

Mother of infant in critical condition speaks to Newschannel 3

Updated: Thursday, July 17, 2014

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – An infant remains in Bronson Hospital in critical care tonight while the man who had been taking care of her is now facing a charge of first degree child abuse.

Little Isabella Smith was taken off a ventilator but is still on a feeding tube. Police are not naming their suspect at this time, but Isabella’s mother told Newschannel 3 about what happened that day.

A mother’s bundle of joy, now the source of heartache. Eight-week-old Isabella Smith remains in the hospital after Battle Creek detectives say she had been abused three weeks ago.

Isabella’s mother, Billie Joe Smith, tells Newschannel 3 that while her daughter may have been taken off a ventilator, she will never be the same.

“They said she’ll never walk, talk, eat, nothing,” said Smith, “not gonna go to school, she’s going to be in bed for the rest of her life on support.”

In the early morning hours of June 25th, emergency crews responded to Douglas Street in Battle Creek while Isabella’s mother was at work.

Smith tells Newschannel 3 that her boyfriend, 26-year-old Manuel Hernandez, had been watching the baby girl.

Neighbor Connie Mosier talked to him that morning.

“He said it was just an accident, that he fell down the stairs, that the carpet was loose on the stairs,” said Mosier. “He was just pouring sweat, like he was scared he done killed the baby, that’s the way it seemed like it was to me.”

Photos show Hernandez holding the baby soon after her birth, Smith tells Newschannel 3 that he’s not Isabella’s father, but stepped in as a helping hand. She also says he’s the one behind the child abuse.

“I can’t even get out of my bed,” said Smith, “I’m so depressed because I never imagined this happening to me.”

Newschannel 3 has been told that Hernandez is currently in jail on unrelated charges surrounding traffic tickets. We’ve also learned he was scheduled to take a lie detector test, but skipped out on that.

“At first I thought it was an accident until her ran from a lie detector test,” said Smith, “now I hate him and wish he would die.”

Smith tells Newschannel 3 that her other two children have now been taken away as police investigate allegations of prior child abuse.

Smith says none of that abuse was at her hands, that she is a hardworking mother, a woman who workers overnight shifts to support her family.

http://wwmt.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/Mother-of-infant-in-critical-condition-speaks-to-Newschannel-3-11500.shtml#.U8lHAfldUnc

Battle Creek man charged with injuring a seven-week old baby

Saturday, July 19, 2014 8:47 a.m. EDT by John McNeill


Manuel Hernandez, (Calhoun County mugshot)  
BATTLE CREEK (WKZO) -- A Battle Creek man has been charged with first degree child abuse. He was arrested for allegedly injuring the child because it would not stop crying.

The infant was only 7-weeks old at the time.

26-year-old Manuel Hernandez is being held in the Calhoun County Jail on 50-thousand dollars bond.

The incident happened on June 25th, while he was watching the infant for her mother.

Baby Isabella remains in critical condition at the Pediatric Trauma Unit at Bronson Hospital.


http://1660thefan.com/news/articles/2014/jul/19/battle-creek-man-charged-with-injuring-a-seven-week-old-baby/