Dad charged with torture, willful abuse of 3-month-old daughter (Tuscumbia, Tennessee)

Dad is identified as ANTHONY D. ENGLISH. Sounds like yet another father who couldn't handle a diaper change without breaking the baby's leg. This happpens more often than you would think.

http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Father-accused-of-breaking-babys-leg,191208

Father accused of breaking baby’s leg
By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer

TUSCUMBIA - A Colbert County man is out of jail on bond after he was accused of breaking his 3-month-old daughter’s leg, officials said.

Anthony D. English, 29, 4045 Wilson Dam Road, Shoals Villa Lot 208, Muscle Shoals, is charged with torture and willful abuse of a child under 18.

The indictment was issued during the recently concluded Colbert County grand jury session, according to Tuscumbia police detective Sgt. Stuart Setliff.

Setliff said the incident reportedly occurred Aug. 1 while English and his family were living at a residence on Francis Street in Tuscumbia.

“According to doctors, it was a spiral break below the knee to her right leg,” Setliff said.

English said the child was injured when she fell from the couch.

“He said he was at home alone with the baby and he had placed the baby on the couch to change her diaper,” Setliff said. “(He) said he had gone to another room to get a clean diaper and the baby rolled off the couch and he heard the leg pop.”

Setliff said English told authorities he picked up the child, who was crying, and took her to the hospital. He said the baby went from Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield to Huntsville Hospital and then to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

The Colbert County Department of Human Resources was involved in the investigation and oversees the baby’s custody.

“Basically, the doctor (in Birmingham) said what (English) said happened didn’t add up to what they saw,” Setliff said. “They said the break had to happen from a twist (of the leg).”

Setliff said English continuously denied that the break was anything but accidental.

After being notified of the indictment, Setliff said English turned himself in to authorities. He was released on bail of $10,000, according to officials with the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office.

Courthouse officials said the charge is a Class C felony and is punishable by 1-10 years in prison if convicted.