HOUSTON – An 8-month-old boy was left severely injured after being shaken by his father, according to court documents. The father, Robert Ross, is charged with injury to a child.
Ross, 28, is a stay-at-home dad who cares for his infant son while the mother works. He is accused of causing severe injuries to his son, who now requires long-term care.
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According to court documents, the infant's mother took him to Texas Children's Hospital on Oct. 2 because he was lethargic and vomiting. The baby was then admitted into the hospital for evaluation.
The woman said she left the baby in the care of his father that morning while she ran errands. She said her son was acting normal when she left, but when she returned around 5 p.m., the baby was throwing up yellow mucus. The mother immediately rushed the boy to the hospital.
Investigators interviewed Ross, who said the boy fell off of a mattress and onto a carpeted floor the night before. The father said that he knew he had grabbed the boy "hard and fast," and afterward, the baby did not stop crying for 15 to 20 minutes, according to court documents.
The dad said the next day while the mom ran errands, he found the boy in the crib, lying on his back and had spit up on the back of his head and in his hair. The dad said his son had diarrhea and a "pissy" diaper so he washed him off and changed his clothes. He said he then placed his son back into the crib and left the room for a while, investigators said.
The dad said he returned later to check on the baby and found him face down in throw up. He then demonstrated how he vigorously shook the child from side to side for about 30 seconds, according to court documents.
Doctors said the baby suffered brain bleeds on both sides of his head, retinal hemorrhages, a liver laceration and facial bruising. Specialists said the injuries were very serious and the boy would possibly need long-term care for the brain bleeds and seizures he now suffers.
Specialists at Texas Children's Hospital determined the boy's injuries were consistent with abusive head trauma and abdominal trauma. They said injuries of that severity were not consistent with falling from a mattress, as the father claimed.
Charges were filed against Ross and no bond amount has been issued.