"Loving" dad on trial for assaulting baby son (Yellowknife, Canada)

"Loving, caring" dad CHRISTOPHER DAHLBERG is on trial for assaulting baby. Frankly, I never see a mother on trial for assaulting a baby described in this way.

Trial for man accused of assaulting baby

Lauren McKeon
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 7, 2009

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - According to several witnesses testifying for the prosecution in NWT Supreme Court Monday, Christopher Dahlberg is a loving, caring father – if a little prone to the normal frustrations of raising two young boys.

One witness, who rented a room to Dahlberg's family, described the children as "happy, content," adding the two boys were always well-fed, well-bathed and well-clothed.

If anything, witnesses described the 31-year-old Yellowknife man, who is charged with assaulting his youngest child, as a pretty average guy.

Dahlberg has pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated assault in connection to an Oct. 22, 2007 incident in which his baby son suffered a seizure. The baby was rushed to Stanton Territorial Hospital and later medevaced to Edmonton.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Smallwood called six witnesses Monday, including two of Dahlberg's roommates, the emergency room doctor and the mother of Dahlberg's children.

In addition to describing Dahlberg as a parent, witnesses were also asked to recall what they remembered about the incident. Dahlberg was alone with the children at the time – his wife was working a shift at one of the diamond mines for the past three weeks – but others were in the house.

One of those other people was Dahlberg's roommate, the same woman who described the children as happy and content. She said she was woken by a panicked Dahlberg in the early hours of Oct. 22 banging on her bedroom door.

He said "Emily, Emily. Help. I need help," she testified, adding, "He was pretty panicked. He was huffing and puffing."

The woman said she took one look at the baby and recognized the infant's grey pallor and rigid body as signs of a seizure – her own child also suffered from them as a kid.

"I said to Chris you have to get him to the hospital now," she said. She told him not to worry about changing the baby's blood and vomit-stained sleeper, she added.

The child was admitted to emergency room 102 at Stanton Territorial Hospital. The emergency doctor testified Dahlberg seemed concerned, but there were times when he seemed quickly relieved and then concerned again.

The doctor added he was surprised Dahlberg was so relieved when the baby stopped seizuring, saying most parents stay concerned even after the fact. He made a note on his records that he needed to rule out the possibility of abuse, finding few other possible reasons for the seizure.

That night, said the doctor, Dahlberg offered no reasons for the seizure. A police officer testified Dahlberg also seemed scared to divulge details of the incident, crying and telling the officer, "I want to tell you the truth, but I'm scared. I don't know what to do ... You won't believe me."

The trial continues Wednesday, with more witnesses expected to testify.

His defence lawyer is Thomas Boyd.