Dad faced charges for first-degree assault on infant son, but killed himself in police standoff instead (Durham, New Hampshire)

Father RICHARD ENRIGHT admitted to "rocking" his son two-month-old son violently when the baby was crying. Dad also admitted that he had "anger management problems" and to handling the baby "roughly" in the past, despite his wife telling him not to do so. The baby ended up hospitalized with a subdural hematoma in his brain and a retinal hemorrage. Dad was facing a first-degree assault charge, but killed himself during a standoff with the Durham, New Hampshire police.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Durham+suicide+victim+faced+charges+for+shaking+his+baby&articleId=8ba16b7d-deb5-4d72-8f0b-2b2dc63a75c5

Durham suicide victim faced charges for shaking his baby

By ROGER AMSDEN

New Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

Franklin – The Sanbornton man who killed himself during a standoff with police in Durham late Thursday night was facing a first degree assault charge for allegedly shaking his two-month-old son violently.

Richard Enright, 38, then of Hill, was taken into custody by State Police on Feb. 11 at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon after threatening to take his own life after having been questioned in connection with an apparent shaken baby syndrome incident.

State Trooper John Marasco said in an affidavit that Enright called himself a "monster" who was going to have to answer in court for what he had done.

Police were called into the investigation on Feb. 11 by Dr. Kent Hymel, a pediatrician who had treated the infant at the hospital. He told them the baby had suffered a subdural hematoma in his brain as well as a retinal hemorrhage, indicative of a shaken baby type of injury, according to the affidavit.

The baby’s mother, Jennifer Enright, told police that the incident took place on Sunday, Feb. 8. The baby had been crying and was very agitated. She said that her husband came into the room and took the baby from her so she could put her other child to bed.

According to the affidavit, the baby stopped crying shortly thereafter as her husband was carrying him. When the mother said that the baby didn’t look right, her husband replied that the child was just sleeping.

She said that when she took the baby, the infant’s breathing was "very labored and that he was very pale and not moving.’’ Jennifer Enright then placed the baby on a dressing table and called 911. The baby was later taken to the Lebanon hospital.

Marasco’s affidavit says that when the father was questioned on Feb. 11 he said that he did not intentionally hurt the baby but admitted to "rocking’" him violently, which could have caused the injuries.

Enright also admitted that he had anger management problems and had handled the baby roughly in the past and had been told by his wife not to handle the baby in that manner.

After the State Police interview was completed, the officers met with Jennifer Enright and a Division of Children, Youth and Families social worker. It was decided that the child would remain in the hospital for further testing and that Richard Enright would go home with his parents until the tests were conclusive.

According to the affidavit, after the father left, he "indicated that he was not going to be around to hurt the baby anymore. He further stated to his family members that he could not promise his wife that he would not hurt himself."

It was shortly after that that Richard Enright was taken into custody. He was arrested on Feb. 12 at 1:30 a.m. by Trooper Marasco and held at the Merrimack County jail until he was arraigned later that day in Franklin District Court.

Probable cause was found by Judge Edward Gordon to bind the case over to Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord.

The case had not yet been scheduled for trial.