Dad charged with assaulting 7-week-old son (Portland, Maine)

Dad is identified as NORMAN BROWN, JR.

http://www.koinlocal6.com/mostpopular/story/Portland-father-arrested-for-violently-shaking-7-w/7P6rGqoSg0-Y2FkYRdJJEw.cspx

Portland father accused of violently shaking infant son

Reported by: Brent Weisberg

Published: 11:29 am

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A 22-year-old father is accused of violently shaking his infant son earlier this month.

Child abuse detectives with Multnomah County said Norman Brown Jr. faces assault charges after they learned he likely shook the child on Feb. 12, when the boy was taken to a local hospital. Portland police said Brown's seven-week-old son is expected to survive, but may suffer permanent partial vision loss.

Officials said the boy's parents called 911 to report their son acting differently. Paramedics responded to the family’s home in the 10300 block of North Allegheny Avenue and transported the child to a hospital. Doctors performed a CT scan which revealed the child had an old and new brain bleed.

Hospital staff told police that the child had extensive retinal hemorrhaging in both eyes. The CT scan also showed signs of a brain bleed from approximately one month earlier, Portland police said.

Detectives were alerted because doctors felt the injuries were consistent with abuse, court documents reveal. A doctor, speaking to detectives, said the injuries were consistent with a baby being shaken or receiving a forcible impact into a soft surface.

Brown admitted to shaking his son, court documents show. The child's mother also admitted to seeing Brown shake the baby in January.

Brown has been charged with first-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault and one count of first-degree criminal mischief. He will be arraigned in Multnomah County Court Friday afternoon.