Monday, November 28, 2011

Dad with history of domestic violence "loses temper" with 6-month-old daughter; baby on ventilator with severe brain hemorrhage (Baldwin County, Alabama)

In the last two years, dad SCOTT DURHAM had been arrested three times for domestic violence. Can anybody seriously think that a father with this track record makes a good babysitter?

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/local_news/baldwin_county/infant-allegedly-injured-by-father

Father allegedly abuses 6-month-old
Updated: Wednesday, 23 Nov 2011, 6:15 PM CST
Published : Wednesday, 23 Nov 2011, 9:18 AM CST

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - A 6-month-old infant is on a ventilator after authorities said her father, Scott Durham, bounced her on a bed out of anger. Baldwin County Deputies said the alleged abuse happened November 18 in Foley.

They said Durham admitted to losing his temper due to stress and being tired. He told deputies he aggressively bounced the infant on the bed.

“Once we started the interview process and started to talk with him about it, within just a limited amount of time he ended making a statement and confessing to it,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack. “What we find is even though these people assault children, in the back of their mind, they realize that’s not the proper thing to do, and so the guilt does starts to take over, and I think that was the case in this.”

The 6-month-old girl suffered a hemorrhage on the brain and severe retinal hemorrhage. She was air lifted by Life-Flight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, where she is still in intensive care.

“The nature of the injuries fall in line with what we call shaken baby syndrome, and that’s simply where a child’s head is moved about so violently that it causes an internal injury,” said Mack.

Durham has been charged with first degree domestic violence and is at the Baldwin County Corrections Center under no bond.

Officials said this is the third time Durham has been arrested in the past two years for domestic violence. They want to keep him in jail as long as they can.
“We're hoping not only for the judge to set for a high bond, but we typically ask for conditions [in addition to] bond, such as no contact with the family, can’t return to the residence - those type of things,” said Mack.

Neighbors FOX10 spoke with said the child's mother just got back from being with her daughter in Pensacola. She was too upset to speak with us.