Dad charged in shaking death of 3-month-old son (Bismarck, North Dakota)

Dad AARIN PAUL CRATTY has been charged in the shaking death of his 3-month-old son. Another dad who couldn't deal with a crying infant....

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_2cd67e0c-b8f7-11de-a7a8-001cc4c002e0.html

Baby dies; case under review
Story Discussion By JENNY MICHAEL Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:15 am

A baby who was allegedly shaken by his father has died.

Hank Allen Arden Cratty, 3 months old, died on Saturday, according to an obituary.

Hank's father, Aarin Paul Cratty, was charged Oct. 8 with Class B felony abuse or neglect of a child for allegedly shaking the boy on Oct. 6.

Cratty, 20, is being held on a $10,000 cash bond.

Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Lloyd Suhr said he is still receiving information about the case from law enforcement and cannot comment yet on whether charges could be enhanced until he has a more full picture of the circumstances surrounding the death.

According to an affidavit from Bismarck Police Det. Scott Betz, Officers Nicole Moritz and Chad Fetzer responded to a apartment on Oct. 6 for a report of an unresponsive child. Cratty told them the boy was not breathing. Metro Ambulance transported the child to St. Alexius Medical Center, where Dr. Patricio Fernandez examined him and determined he had a bleed in his brain and retinal hemorrhages - both of which the doctor said are signs of shaken baby syndrome.

Fernandez, a pediatric cardiologist and neonatologist, believed the baby was brain dead at that time, the affidavit said.

Betz wrote in his affidavit that Cratty said he shook the baby on Oct. 6, and the child's head struck his knee. He said he was frustrated when the baby would not stop crying.

Services for Hank will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Perry Funeral Home in Mandan, according to the obituary.