Dad arrested for abusing 5-month-old son (Las Cruces, Texas)

Dad RUSS WILLIAM CHURCH has been arrested for fracturing the skull of his 5-month-old son. Mom says she was trying to get Dad to leave the home because of his abusiveness. The abuse took place while Mom was working and Dad was "caretaking."

http://www.kdbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=11284213

LC dad arrested for abusing 5-month-old son

LAS CRUCES POLICE ARRESTED A DAD TODAY FOR **INTENTIONALLY** ABUSING HIS FIVE MONTH OLD SON.

THEY SAY THE BABY HAS A FRACTURED SKULL - AND WAS SO HURT - HE NEEDED TO BE AIRLIFTED HERE TO EL PASO.

KDBC 4 NEWS REPORTER ARMANDO SALDIVAR HAS MORE FROM UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.

FIVE MONTH OLD KAYDEN LUNDY WAS BROUGHT HERE TO UMC TUESDAY NIGHT WITH TWO SKULL FRACTURES AND BRAIN HEMORRHAGING.

THE ALLEGED ABUSE TOOK PLACE AT AN APARTMENT IN THE 14-HUNDRED BLOCK OF SOUTH ALAMO STREET IN LAS CRUCES.

THAT'S WHERE FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS AND POLICE RESPONDED TO A CALL AT ABOUT 9:30 TUESDAY NIGHT.

DETECTIVES SAY THE CHILD'S MOTHER WAS AT WORK AND THE FATHER WAS LEFT TO CARE FOR THEIR SON.

29 YEAR OLD RUSS WILLIAM CHURCH WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE.

POLICE SAY HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING THE INJURIES INCLUDING MULTIPLE BRUISES TO THE CHILD'S CHEEKS AND BACK.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE CHILD WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING.

ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT AFFIDAVIT CHURCH GAVE POLICE A DIFFERENT NAME WHEN IDENTIFYING HIMSELF.

IT SAYS HE TOLD POLICE THAT KAYDEN SUFFERED FROM BREATHING PROBLEMS SINCE HIS BIRTH.

KAYDEN'S MOTHER REPORTEDLY TOLD POLICE THAT CHURCH TOLD HER TO LIE ABOUT HIS LAST NAME.

IN THE AFFIDAVIT SHE SAYS HE RECENTLY MOVED TO LAS CRUCES FROM COLORADO AND SHE WAS TRYING TO GET HIM TO LEAVE HER APARTMENT AFTER BEING ABUSIVE.

CHURCH HOWEVER TOLD DETECTIVES THAT KAYDEN FELL OFF A COUCH AND BEGAN BLEEDING FROM HIS MOUTH.

HE THEN SAYS ON THE WAY TO THE KITCHEN TO CLEAN OFF THE BLOOD, HE DROPPED HIM TWICE, ONCE STRIKING THE BOY'S HEAD AGAINST THE SINK AND THEN ONTO THE FLOOR.

HE TOLD DETECTIVES HE WRAPPED HIS SON WITH A BLANKET AND WENT TO A NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT FOR ASSISTANCE.

THE CHILD WAS EVENTUALLY FLOWN HERE TO UMC FOR TREATMENT.

CHURCH WAS ARRESTED AND FACES CHARGES OF CHILD ABUSE.

ARMANDO SALDIVAR KDBC 4 NEWS.//