Dad accused of shaking, biting infant triplets (Plaistow, New Hampshire)

More on dad THOMAS CAMPO, who is accused of abusing his infant triplets. What a sick little sh**.

http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_343020240.html?keyword=topstory

Published: December 09, 2009 01:59 am

Father accused of injuring triplets
Former Plaistow man allegedly shook, bit babies
By Jarret Bencks
jbencks@eagletribune.com

Thomas Campo acted out violently against his infant triplets on multiple occasions, beginning when they were only a few weeks old, according to court documents.

Campo, 43, who lived with his family in Plaistow at the time of the alleged assaults and now lists his residency as Haverhill in court filings, was indicted on 37 counts stemming from alleged physical abuse to his triplets between April and September. The children were born April 6.

The alleged abuse included shaking at least one of the children, causing its skull to fracture, squeezing one so hard that ribs broke, and biting one in the abdomen, according to court documents.

The bite left the child with a laceration of the skin that was noticed by the mother, Zoya Campo, on April 27, according to a police affidavit. The children were only 3 weeks old at the time and had just returned from the hospital.

After the biting incident, the Campos canceled a scheduled visit to their home from a health care professional so the mark would not be seen, court documents allege.

The abuse wasn't brought to the attention of authorities until September, when Zoya Campo took one of the children to Lawrence General Hospital for a separate medical issue. Staff in the emergency room noticed bruises on the infant's body and contacted Massachusetts social service officials. Authorities interviewed the children's mother, who admitted that her husband was responsible for the injuries. He was then arrested.

Zoya Campo told police her husband "has a history of anger and acts out towards the babies," according to an affidavit written by Plaistow police Sgt. Patrick Caggiano.

The woman said she confronted her husband on numerous occasions regarding bruises to the children and he apologized for them, the affidavit said.

Zoya Campo also said her husband would sometimes take one of the children into a room and not let her in. He told her he had to learn how to comfort the children on his own, but she could hear the child's distress from behind the closed door.

"Sometime (sic) she can hear the baby crying louder, that when this happens she prays that the baby would be protected," Caggiano wrote.

Campo, who has been held at the county jail, faces 17 counts of first-degree assault and 20 counts of second-degree assault. The case is being handled by the Rockingham County attorney's office. County Attorney Jim Reams declined to comment on the case yesterday.

Campo's defense attorney, Adam Bernstein, also declined to comment.

The triplets, two boys and a girl, are now 8 months old.