Auburndale man arrested for shaking 2-month-old baby, fracturing skull: Deputies
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - An Auburndale man was arrested by Polk County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit detectives on Friday after he admitted to shaking a baby, according to deputies.
Officials say 20-year-old Damian Trafton was charged with aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony.
A 2-month-old baby was in Trafton's care when the incident happened, according to authorities.
The sheriff's office began an investigation after Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center ER staff contacted law enforcement on Thursday.
According to medical staff, the baby had slight bruising above one eye, but an exam and X-ray revealed hemorrhages to the brain. Authorities say the X-ray also revealed a slight skull fracture, and a .5 cm midline shift of the brain.
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According to deputies, during an interview, Trafton told them that he was watching the baby when the child started acting fussy and would not stop crying.
Trafton told investigators that he placed the baby in a bouncy seat, which usually soothes the baby, but it didn’t work. He also told detectives that he tried bouncing the bouncy seat at a harder than normal pace which caused the infants head to move side-to-side.
Detectives say during subsequent interviews Trafton admitted that he actually placed the baby on its back and lifted the baby's legs to try to ease gas pain, but it didn't seem to work.
The sheriff's office says Trafton said he got increasingly frustrated with the child and started to aggressively move the baby's legs back and forth for about two to three minutes.
Trafton said this caused the infant's breathing to become abnormal, so he called the baby's mother. She contacted emergency services, according to deputies.
Doctors say the baby should make a full recovery.
According to officials, Trafton’s criminal history includes prior arrests for vehicle burglary, driving with a suspended license, and probation violation.
"There are so many resources out there for parents and caregivers to help them cope with a newborn or child – but the easiest step to take when you get upset or frustrated with a baby, is to place them somewhere safe and walk away for a few minutes until you are calm enough to calm the baby. Babies are our most innocent and defenseless victims and it is everyone’s responsibility to keep them healthy and safe," said Sheriff Grady Judd.