Dad arrested for abuse of 2-month-old son; baby not expected to survive (Lafayette, Colorado)

Dad BENJAMIN KOLLER has been arrested for biting his infant son and fracturing his skull (among a whole litany of injuries listed below). Dad blames his behavior on sleep deprivation--and the abusive relationship he had with his own father.

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=17254

Publish Date: 7/28/2009

Father suspected of biting baby
Lafayette boy not expected to live

By Pierrette J. Shields
© 2009 Longmont Times-Call

BOULDER — A 2-month-old Lafayette boy suffered brain damage and is not expected to survive the injuries police and prosecutors believe his father caused.

Benjamin Koller, 26, was arrested Friday on suspicion of child abuse causing serious bodily injury, according to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. He is being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $1 million bond. He is due to return to court Friday for filing of charges.

Jack Sebastian Koller, born May 27, is in intensive care at Children’s Hospital in Denver, where he was taken after Koller and his common-law wife, Jennifer Schmidt, took him to Avista Adventist Hospital on July 21 because the baby was unresponsive. He is listed in critical condition but stable.

According to Koller’s arrest warrant affidavit, doctors told investigators that the baby suffered brain damage and is not expected to survive. The baby suffered bite marks to his left leg and both arms, bruises on his head, retinal hemorrhaging, a skull fracture, a torn frenulum, and a bruise behind his ear consistent with being grabbed by the ear. Doctors told investigators that fluid had to be drained from the baby’s brain.

According to the affidavit, Koller told investigators that he dropped the baby several times, would bite the baby to get a reaction when he was unresponsive, shook the baby to try to get a reaction, and had held his hand over the baby’s mouth until he changed color to stifle his cries.

Koller estimated he did that to the baby no more than three times over several weeks, according to the affidavit.

“Benjamin said the smothering incidents usually happened near the end of his work week when he was exhausted,” according to the affidavit.

“Benjamin said that there are moments when he is so sleep deprived, getting only three hours of sleep a night while working a 40-hour workweek,” investigators wrote in the affidavit. “He said he knew it sounded harsh, but sometimes he has a mentality of ‘shut up!’ when dealing with Jack. Near the end of the interview, Benjamin said, ‘I can’t believe I admitted that to you guys without a lawyer.’”

Koller told investigators that Schmidt was not aware of the smothering.

Attempts to reach Jennifer Schmidt on Monday were unsuccessful. No one answered the door at the couple’s apartment. Neighbors were not available either.

A MySpace profile listed to Koller shows he is a Naropa University student studying traditional Eastern arts, music and photography.

In the affidavit, he tells investigators that he had an abusive relationship with is own father and was afraid of turning into his father. On his MySpace profile, he lists his parents as his heroes.