Police say the mother of a 2-month-old boy who suffered a severe brain injury after she told authorities the infant was hit in the head with a baseball bat on a Bronx street during an attack on his father dropped the child on the ground and made up the dramatic tale to cover it up.
Authorities say the boy’s 22-year-old mother dropped him in her apartment but didn’t report it because she had a run-in with the Administration for Children’s Services in the past.
Instead, police say, the mother made up a story about leaving a building on Noble Avenue in Soundview around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday with the infant, his 1-year-old sister and the children’s 22-year-old father to go to an ATM at a Rite Aid.
The mother told police two men in a silver Toyota Camry got out of their vehicle near Lafayette Avenue and hit the father, who was holding the 2-month-old boy in his arms, with a bat. The father tried to defend himself and the baby, but the baby was hit, the mother alleged, officials said.
The 1-year-old daughter was unharmed; the father fractured his arm as he tried to protect his son and the mother’s glasses broke when she tried to stop the attack, according to the story the woman told detectives, a law enforcement source said. A heavy police presence was visible outside the Rite Aid throughout the day as authorities investigated.
Authorities now say none of the saga is true, and a law enforcement source tells NBC 4 New York the father wasn’t home when the child was hurt. The revelation comes about an hour after the baby boy’s condition was upgraded to critical but stable; earlier Tuesday, authorities had said he likely would not survive his injuries, though the extent of any brain damage remains unknown.
It’s not clear what consequences the mother may face. The investigation is ongoing. A law enforcement source tells NBC 4 New York the mother’s earlier run-in with ACS involved her 1-year-old daughter last year. The source said the mother brought the child to a doctor for a checkup and the doctor noticed bruising on the baby’s face. ACS investigated and found no apparent abuse.
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