Friday, September 21, 2012

Police: Dad broke infant daughter's thumb to stop her thumb-sucking (Port St. Lucie, Florida)

 Dad is identified as ORANE GOWANS.

http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_2308.shtml

POLICE: Port St. Lucie father broke infant daughter's hand to stop her thumb-sucking

By Scott T. Smith / CBS12.com

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Police say a 28-year-old Port St. Lucie man broke his infant daughter's hand trying to break her of a thumb-sucking habit.

Port St. Lucie Police arrested Orane Gowans on a child abuse charge Thursday after the 5-month-old girl was taken to the hospital, revealing several broken bones in her hand.

Police report the mother noticed her daughter's hand was swollen and sensitive to touch on Monday. When she asked Gowans, her husband and the child's biological father, if he knew what happened, he said he didn't but suspected it ws a big bite and told her not to take the girl to a doctor.

After a couple of days, the mother took her daughter to the hospital. When police interviewed Gowans about the injury, he said he had slapped her hand and pulled it away from her mouth to stop her from suckign her thumb.

Gowans was lodged at the St. Lucie county jail.