Infant lifelined to Indianapolis, father arrested for battery

A Bloomington infant was transported to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and his father was arrested early Thursday morning, after the child arrived at IU Health Bloomington Hospital with a skull fracture.

Bloomington police and the Department of Child Services were called to the Bloomington Hospital around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday because of possible child neglect, Sgt. Jeff Canada of the Bloomington Police Department said.

The mother of the three-month-old boy told police that she was changing the baby earlier when she noticed his skin was pale and his legs were shaking, Canada said.

She said she did not know what was wrong with the child and quickly called 911. The infant was soon taken to Riley Hospital by LifeLine helicopter.

Later, officers made contact with the child’s father, Dylan K. White, 20, who told them that he may have dropped the baby “a little bit.”

The story he told officers did not match the boy’s injuries, however, Canada said.

Eventually White elaborated on his initial explanation, telling police that he sometimes gets frustrated with the infant.

“He said that he often drops the baby into his bouncer when he gets frustrated, but that he did not intend to hurt the child,” Canada said.

Officers then had White demonstrate how he typically would drop his son.

He would raise the baby to the top of his abdomen, and then let the child drop from that distance into the bouncer, Canada said. This instance was an extreme case, though, White told the officers.

After being dropped, the baby bounced back up into the air, striking his head on the top of the father’s chin.

The mother told police she was not aware of White dropping their son.

White was arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent and aggravated battery, a B felony.

The infant suffered a bilateral brain hemorrhage and remains hospitalized. Canada said the BPD will continue to monitor the baby’s condition.

— Jake New