Bloomington baby in critical condition after allegedly being thrown into playpen

An 11-month-old Bloomington child is currently in critical condition after a man allegedly threw her into her crib Thursday, causing severe head trauma and a fractured skull.

Lamar Phillips, 19, was arrested by the Bloomington Police Department after police said he admitted to throwing the girl into her playpen and hit her head against the wall, Bloomington Police Sgt. Steve Kellams said.

Kellams said the IU-Health Bloomington Hospital informed the BPD at 9:25 p.m. about the child. When officers arrived, they first spoke with a 21-year-old woman who initially told hospital personnel and police that she was the mother of the baby.

The woman told police she was at the mall with a friend when her boyfriend, Phillips, called and told her something was wrong with the child after she hit her head playing in her playpen.

When the woman returned to her apartment in the 3300 block of East Longview Avenue, she told police she noticed something was not right with the baby and drove her to the hospital.

In an interview with police, the woman admitted she is not the child’s biological mother.

Instead, she is actually the baby’s aunt. She told police that the infant’s biological mother is a woman named Tameka Lewis. The baby’s grandmother, who lives in Chicago, told police she is unaware of Lewis’ whereabouts, claiming she is a homeless drug addict in Chicago, Kellams said.

The child’s father is unknown.

Phillips and his girlfriend recently moved to Bloomington from Chicago. Kellams said Phillips told police they made the move to Bloomington to make a new start.

After speaking with the female at the hospital, Kellams said police went to the couple’s apartment, which they share with another couple who have a 2-month-old baby.

At the end of the interview, Kellams said Phillips admitted to throwing the child into the playpen when she hit her head on the wall. Although a specific time is unknown, police estimate it happened at about 6:30 p.m.

After throwing the child into the playpen, Phillips told police he went back to playing video games for three hours without checking on her, Kellams said.

Phillips was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail early Friday on preliminary charges of battery causing serious bodily injury and neglect causing severe bodily injury, both B felonies.

Because the female allegedly was not present when the incident occurred, Kellams said she  does not currently face any charges.

— Mark Keierleber