Saturday, April 12, 2014

"Babysiting" dad arrested for abusing 3-month-old son while Mom was at work (Youngwood, Pennsylvania)

Too many young males are just too violent to be "babysitters."

Too bad mothers don't have decent maternity leaves in this country. As a result, dudes who should be out working and supporting their families try to be caretakers. The result is too often a disaster.

Dad is identified as TYLER JAMES PRIGGINS.

http://triblive.com/news/westmoreland/5930927-74/police-month-infant#axzz2yk9fA3zE

Youngwood father of 3-month-old boy arraigned on child abuse charges

Bob Stiles Staff
Reporter Tribune-Review

Published: Saturday, April 12, 2014, 12:01 a.m. Updated 14 hours ago

A 3-month-old boy suffered head trauma, brain injury, seizures and other medical complications from physical abuse by his father in a Youngwood home last month, state police at Greensburg said.

Tyler James Priggins, 26, was arraigned on Thursday on charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Priggins was baby sitting his infant son, Dominique, on March 26 when he injured the baby, who became “unresponsive,” according to court papers.

The infant was taken by ambulance to Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, where he was given emergency treatment to aid his breathing, and was then flown to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh “due to his grave condition,” police said.

A Children's doctor determined Dominique was physically abused and would have died had he not received medical attention when he did, police said.

The physician “also related that the injuries that the victim sustained were not accidental, nor could they be self-inflicted,” according to a police affidavit.

In addition to the head trauma, the infant had bruises on his shoulders, police said.

State police questioned Priggins in late March.

“The defendant made several statements to investigators indicating he was the cause of the injuries to the victim and stated, ‘It had to be me; I was the only adult there,' ” according to the affidavit.

The child's mother told police that she left for work about 2:30 p.m. March 26. Priggins was home, caring for the infant and two other children.

The mother declined to comment on Friday after she answered the front door of a home with yellow siding, along a one-way main artery leading from New Stanton into Youngwood. Two Big Wheel bikes waited near the front door.

“I don't want my baby in the news,” she said before shutting the door.