Dad arrested for nearly beating 2-month-old son to death (Salinas, California)

Dad ROBERT GOETZE has been arrested for nearly beating his 2-month-old son to death. Note all the other male caretakers that have been recently arrested for violent (and fatal) child abuse.

http://www.ksbw.com/news/30056796/detail.html#ixzz1hQhAiwG2

Police: Salinas Father, 24, Nearly Beat Baby To Death

POSTED: 10:58 am PST December 22, 2011
UPDATED: 4:48 pm PST December 23, 2011


SALINAS, Calif. -- A Salinas father was arrested Wednesday on suspicion that he nearly beat his infant son to death.

On Dec. 14, Salinas hospital workers alerted the Salinas Police Department that they were caring for an infant in the emergency room with "extremely serious head trauma," Sgt. Henry Gomez said.

The two-month-old baby had life-threatening injuries. Doctors determined that the baby's injuries were non-accidental and were likely shaken baby syndrome.

The beaten baby's father, Robert Goetze, 24, was arrested on child abuse and assault charges, Gomez said.

He was booked into the Monterey County Jail with bail set at $500,000.

On Friday, the baby was still in a Bay Area trauma center, Gomez said. Medical workers are required by law to notify law enforcement when they suspect domestic violence has happened.

There has been a disturbing number of suspected baby and child killings and beatings on the Central Coast in recent months.

PHOTOS: Men Charged With Attacking Babies

In early December, a 2-year-old Castroville girl was beaten to death by her mother's boyfriend, deputies said. Pricilla Hernandez was found dead by authorities inside a house on McDougall Street.

David Lee Leonardo, 26, of Castroville, was arrested and charged with murder. Pricilla's mother was not home when her boyfriend killed her daughter, investigators said.

In September, a Greenfield woman's boyfriend beat her 10-month-old baby to death, police said.

Diego Burgos, 20, of Greenfield, had a history of attacking his girlfriend's infant until he ultimately killed him, prosecutors said.

Police arrested Burgos hours after the baby arrived at Standford hospital's trauma center. The baby survived for a few days, but despite doctors' efforts, he died.

The Greenfield baby's mother was pregnant with Burgos' unborn child until she had a miscarriage, and Burgos blamed her infant for causing her to have the miscarriage, prosecutors said.