This is a typical example of how male violence, particularly violence by a father against his own child, is minimized and denied.
Notice that the emphasis here is on Daddy's former football status. That proves he is capable of aggression, though that's not emphasized here. And also notice here that we have a very typical abused baby scenario. Young, aggressive, unemployed father "drafted" to be the "primary caretaker" while Mom worked and went to school. This is very often a recipe for disaster, although it's politically incorrect in these "gender neutral" times to say so. But experts know full well that infants are at high risk with young male caretakers, and that this is a known red flag for potential abuse.
And despite Daddy's (BS) story about stumbling because of an old football injury (the typical Clumsy Daddy excuse), this baby apparently had prior healing fractures. This was NOT the first time this baby was abused. And still we deny, deny, deny....
Dad is identified as JAHEEL ROBINSON.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061171175&srvc=rss
Former semi-pro grid player held on child abuse charges
By Laurel J. Sweet
Monday, October 29, 2012 - Updated 21 hours ago
A former semi-professional football player has been ordered held on $10,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty this morning to charges he abused his 4-month-old son so brutally that the newborn will likely be brain-damaged and blind — if he survives at all, prosecutors said.
Jaheel Robinson, 25, of Randolph faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on two counts of assault and battery on a child. But his parents, with whom he, his son and the baby’s mother live, insisted today the cops got it all wrong.
“I have the baby with me every day. I know my son and my son did nothing wrong,” said a distraught man who identified himself as Robinson’s father outside Quincy District Court Judge Mark S. Coven’s courtroom. He declined to give his name.
Assistant Norfolk District Attorney Lisa Beatty told Coven the baby has been at Boston Children’s Hospital since Thursday afternoon. The state Department of Children and Families has taken temporary custody, she said. A custody hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, she said.
“It is unclear at this point whether the baby will be able to survive,” Beatty said, noting the infant is on a ventilator and a feeding tube.
Coven refused to order Robinson to stay away from the child if he posts bail, “unless DCF orders it.”
A DCF spokesman could not immediately to be reached. State offices are closed today because of Hurricane Sandy.
Beatty said Robinson told police the baby fell on a carpeted basement stair when his knee gave out from an old football injury sometime last Wednesday into Thursday after he, his girlfriend and their son returned home to his parents’ house from a day out together. But Beatty said medical professionals determined the infant’s injuries were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.
“Initially, he was so critically ill that he could not be studied,” Beatty said, explaining to Coven that the baby’s heart was failing and he was suffering seizures.
She said doctors later found hemorrhaging in the brain and eyes.
“He is very neurologically compromised,” Beatty said. “His retinas have been separated from his eyes. The baby will probably be blind. This baby has been the victim of non-accidental trauma.”
She said the baby also had a fracture in one of his legs and a bruise on one ear that are believed to have pre-dated last week’s event. She said the baby was previously hospitalized at Children’s for two weeks “because of issues having to do with vomiting,” but that his parents “chose to discharge him against medical advice.”
Beatty said the unemployed Robinson has been the baby’s primary caregiver while the child’s mother works days and attends school at night. Robinson’s attorney Susan Rayburn told the court the mother opted to remain with her son today rather than attend her boyfriend’s arraignment.
“Nobody in this family wants him (Robinson) to be away from this baby,” Rayburn said. “This is the most peaceful family — a well-kept household. These are not people who are so dependent on him in some way that they refuse to believe he could harm this baby.”