Dad admits to fracturing newborn son's skull while "caring" for him as part of "custody arrangement" (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)

Dad MATTHEW TAYLOR has admitted that he fractured the skull of his newborn son, who was only 17 days old. The baby was assaulted while under the father's care, as part of the parents' "custody arrangment." By pleading guilty to aggravated assault, he faces up to seven whole years in prison. Big whoop.

Anybody who thinks a newborn belongs in a "custody arrangement" is nuts. This guy had no commitment to the mother or to the child, and we need to stop pretending that basic recreational sperm donors like this are true fathers. They aren't. And we're increasingly seeing the results. Newborns belong with their mothers. Period.

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-bethlehem-child-abuse-guilty-20110111,0,5862710.story

Bethlehem man admits to fracturing infant son's skull

By Riley Yates, OF THE MORNING CALL

1:41 p.m. EST, January 11, 2011

A Bethlehem man who fractured the skull of his infant son faces up to seven years in prison.

Matthew Taylor, 24, admitted Tuesday to aggravated assault, a felony, for abuse that was uncovered after the baby was twice taken to the emergency room for extensive injuries to his head.

The child was just 17 days old when he was brought to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg on Aug. 4, 2009, with a broken eye socket, police said.

Five months later, the boy was again at the hospital, that time for multiple skull fractures and bruises on his forehead.

"This was an infant child, your honor," Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Lewis told Judge Leonard Zito. "I think that needs to be brought to the attention of the court."

Police said in both instances, Taylor was alone with his son when the boy was injured. In interviews with investigators after a January 2010 hospitalization, Taylor claimed to have dropped the baby after the child poked him in the eye.

But police said he gave conflicting and unrealistic statements to explain how it happened.

The infant's mother, Erika Taylor, said that on Jan. 2, 2010, Matthew Taylor was caring for the child as part of their custody arrangement. The mother told police that when she dropped him off, the boy was not bruised.

Erika Taylor said the boy's father sent her a text message to pick up the boy because he wasn't feeling well. She said the father then called and told her that he had dropped the baby and was calling an ambulance.

Zito set sentencing for March 18, and ordered Taylor to undergo a psychological evaluation.

Riley Yates