National

Dad throws baby against wall when he’s frustrated by video game, Wisconsin cops say

A dad is accused of throwing his infant son at a wall when he became frustrated by a video game, Wisconsin officials said.
A dad is accused of throwing his infant son at a wall when he became frustrated by a video game, Wisconsin officials said. Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki via Unsplash

A baby left in the care of his father playing video games was severely injured when the 20-year-old threw him against a wall in a fit of rage over the game, Wisconsin police and local news outlets reported.

The mother left the Milwaukee dad in charge of the 8- to 9-month-old on Nov. 5 while she left to go buy marijuana, a criminal complaint obtained by WDJT said.

When she returned home, she noticed something wasn’t right with her son, officials told Law & Crime. His arm was twitching, his eyes were swollen shut and his hands were changing color, WDJT reported, citing the complaint.

The mother called 911, and the baby was rushed to a hospital, according to court documents reported by WDJT. He suffered life-threatening injuries, including a skull fracture, and is not expected to survive, officials told WDJT.

While police questioned the father, he cycled through a series of explanations before telling officers how the baby was injured, court documents said, according to Law & Crime.

Initially, the father told police his son hit his head on the wall, according to WISN.

According to the criminal complaint, the father then said he threw the infant against the wall because he was down by two points in the fourth quarter of the NBA 2K video game, WISN reported.

He was arrested and charged with child abuse and child neglect Nov. 9, according to court records. He’s held on a $100,000 bond.

Attorney information for the father was not listed.

He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 15.

If you suspect a child has experienced, is currently experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, your first step should be to contact the appropriate agency. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has a list of state agencies you can contact. Find help specific to your area here.

For additional help, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has professional crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. You can call or text 1-800-422-4453.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911 for help.


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This story was originally published November 12, 2024 at 10:14 AM with the headline "Dad throws baby against wall when he’s frustrated by video game, Wisconsin cops say."

Kate Linderman
mcclatchy-newsroom
Kate Linderman covers national news for McClatchy’s real-time team. She reports on politics and crime and courts news in the Midwest. Kate is a 2023 graduate of DePaul University and is based in Chicago.
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