Drunk custodial dad "allegedly" drops 5-month-old son on tile floor; baby has fractured skull (Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia)

Next time you hear somebody whining about how daddies can't get custody, cite this case.

UNNAMED DAD had primary custody of his 5-month-old son. Why? How? You tell me. Our Australian readers should know all about the rampant favoritism shown to fathers these days in the courts, especially in the aftermath of "shared" custody.

Early one morning, this custodial dad (who was apparently already drunk at this hour?) "allegedly" tripped and fell, dropping the baby on a tile floor. The baby was left with a fractured skull.

Personally, I'm not buying the tripped-and-fell story. If this was an accident, then why did the dad struggle with the police officers who were trying to get the baby treatment, and spit in their faces? One officer apparently has a broken hand, thanks to this concerned daddy.

Daddy's been charged with grievous bodily harm, common assault, failing to provide the necessities of life, wilful damage, and three counts of serious assault on police. Oh, and he also faces charges of committing public nuisance and breaching a domestic violence order.

Are we getting the picture yet? Is Daddy coming into focus now?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT: Please note that there isn't even the pretext of shared custody here. The mother has been erased from the picture entirely, and the baby has been placed in foster care. It's as if we're all pretending this baby materialized out of thin air.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2010/05/21/trial-for-dad-accused-of-drunkenly-dropping-bub/

Dad accused of dropping bub
21st May 2010

A HERVEY Bay father who allegedly drunkenly dropped his baby on a tile floor will face trial in the Hervey Bay District Court.

The five-month-old boy was left with a fractured skull following the alleged incident at a Pialba apartment on April 5.

His 25-year-old father is charged with grievous bodily harm, common assault, failing to provide the necessities of life, wilful damage and three counts of serious assault on police.

Prosecutor Sergeant Kathryn Stagoll tendered witness statements, photographs, CCTV footage and interview recordings to Hervey Bay Magistrates Court to be used as evidence at the trial.

Defence lawyer Samantha Byles said her client consented to the charges being committed to the District Court without further examination of the evidence by Magistrate Graeme Tatnell.

The separated father, who until the incident had primary custody of his son, was allegedly lifting the baby up to his shoulder when he tripped and dropped the boy in the early hours of the morning.

Later, he allegedly struggled with police and spat in the faces of three officers when they tried to take the infant from him at Hervey Bay Hospital so that staff could commence treatment.

One officer was left with a suspected broken hand.

The young father also faces further charges of committing public nuisance and breaching a domestic violence order.

He is currently on bail and living with his own father at Bundaberg.

He has been ordered by the court not to consume any drugs or alcohol and to subject to regular testing by police.

During his last appearance, Mr Tatnell told the man his behaviour was “unacceptable”.

The accused man became tearful during the proceedings and told the court he didn’t know how he could be accused of deliberately harming his son.

Defence lawyer Justin Geldard argued that it would be difficult for a jury to convict the young father of grievous bodily harm because, he said, there was no evidence showing intent to harm the boy.

It is understood the Department of Child Safety is investigating the matter and the boy has been placed in foster care.