Dad jailed for shaking 3-month-old son 50+ times; baby in intensive care "fighting for his life" (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

Dad BRENT WALSH has been jailed and charged with 1st- and 2nd degree child abuse. The dad is accused of shaking his 3-month-old son over 50 times, and the baby quit breathing. The baby is now in intensive care "fighting for his life."

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/rapids-1368610-father-0in.html

Father charged with child abuse
October 26, 2009 10:19 PM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A three-month-old boy is fighting for his life Monday night, while his father sits in a Kent County jail.

Police say the infant is a possible victim of child abuse. Officers arrested the infant's parents after they were called to the home in Grand Rapids last week.

On Monday, Newschannel 3 spoke to a neighbor of the couple about what happened to that child. That neighbor tells us that the victim, Viktor Walsh, is at Spectrum Butterworth. The hospital would not confirm that information, but we do know that the infant is not with his father, since his father is in jail.

“When the baby was at my house, he was fine,” said neighbor Louis Alder.

Alder even showed Newschannel 3 pictures of the boy that he says was with his son about every other day. That changed on Thursday, October 22nd.

“Five or six cop cars out here, and you know, forensics unit went through the house,” said Alder.

On that day, Grand Rapids police responded to the upstairs apartment of a home on Buffalo NE.

“I called her and she told me the baby had quit breathing,” said Alder. “I was told he was shaken and just wasn't breathing.”

Alder says that police told him the boy's father, Brett Walsh, had shaken Viktor more than 50 times. The prosecutor has charged Walsh with first and second degree child abuse.

Court records show Suzanne Fox, Viktor's mother, as a co-defendant, but she is currently not facing any charges.

Fox wasn't at her apartment Monday afternoon, Alder says there was good reason for that.

“Suzanne's going about her ways and trying to get her son back, she's very, very tore up about it,” said Alder.

For now, Alder says that Viktor remains in a Grand Rapids hospital in intensive care.

“It really tears my heart out about that, as much as I can get anybody to pray for Viktor, that's what I'd really like to see achieved,” said Alder.

Brett Walsh is in the Kent County Jail on a one million dollar cash bond. His next court date is in November.