Man gets prison time for hitting baby to stop her from crying, causing skull fracture
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BLACKFOOT – A 25-year-old man is going to prison after admitting to hitting a baby to get her to stop crying and causing a skull fracture.
District Judge Bruce Pickett sentenced Kade Michael Jones to a minimum of two years and a maximum of 12 years in prison.
Jones initially pleaded not guilty to felony aggravated battery and a felony enhancement for causing great bodily injury or disability after being accused of striking a baby so hard that he caused a skull fracture.
In April, Jones signed a plea agreement where he agreed to plead guilty to felony aggravated battery in exchange for the prosecution dropping the enhancement.
The plea agreement also stated the prosecution would recommend no more than a minimum of six years in prison at sentencing. They were also free to argue for whatever amount of maximum time.
According to Bingham County Prosecutor Ryan Jolley, the state argued for a sentence of a minimum of six years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, while Jones’ defense attorney, Jeffrey Kunz, argued for probation.
“My thoughts and prayers remain with the victim in this case for a full and complete recovery and a happy and healthy future,” says Jolley in a news release.
Background
On May 11, a Bingham County Sheriff’s detective learned of a 1-week-old baby at Idaho Falls Community Hospital who was suffering from a skull fracture, bruising and swelling, according to court documents.
According to police reports, the baby was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.
The detective talked to the baby’s doctor, who said the parents, Jones and his wife, told him “the only thing they could think of that may have caused this injury was their 2-year-old daughter kicked (the baby) in the head when she was getting off the couch.”
Court documents indicate the doctor did not believe the 2-year-old caused the injury.
When the detective arrived at the hospital in Salt Lake City, he noticed the baby also had a “larger swollen area on the right side of the skull above the ear.”
According to Jones, he had noticed the swollen area a few days before, but the parents waited to take the baby to the doctor until a regular check-up. The check-up ultimately led to them taking the baby to the hospital.
Jones was later interviewed again and admitted to laying the baby on the floor to change her diaper while she was crying. He told detectives it was “possibly a sensory overload, and he slapped her on the side of her head with his right hand.”
Jones told law enforcement he hit the baby “harder than he wanted to” and that it was out of a second of anger.
He stated he finished changing the baby’s diaper, and the baby was still crying, but he didn’t see any bruising.
A warrant was issued for Jones’ arrest on May 24, and he was booked into the Bingham County Jail the same day with a bond of $250,000.
A no-contact order was issued for the victim, and his bond was later reduced to $50,000, which he paid.