AUBURNDALE, Fla. (WFLA) — An Auburndale man was charged with battering a baby last week after he shook it to the point of causing brain injuries, deputies said.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, ER staff at Lakeland Regional Health contacted the agency about a 2-month-old on Dec. 14 who had severe injuries, including “slight bruising above one eye, but an exam and X-ray revealed hemorrhages to the brain, a slight skull fracture, and a .5 cm midline shift of the brain.”
Deputies contacted Damian Trafton, 20, of Auburndale, who was watching the child at the time.
In an interview with detectives, Trafton said the baby was “fussy and would not stop crying.”
According to investigators, Trafton first claimed he tried to calm the baby by bouncing the child in a bouncy seat but did it harder than normal and caused the baby’s head to move side-to-side.
However, in later interviews, the suspect admitted that he was trying to relieve the baby of gas, but it was not working. The sheriff’s office said Trafton got more frustrated and moved the baby’s legs back and forth for about three minutes until the baby’s breathing became abnormal.
Afterward, the suspect called the baby’s mother who called 911, according to deputies.
“There are so many resources out there for parents and caregivers to help them cope with a newborn or child – but the easiest step to take when you get upset or frustrated with a baby, is to place them somewhere safe and walk away for a few minutes until you are calm enough to calm the baby,” Sheriff Grady Judd said. “Babies are our most innocent and defenseless victims and it is everyone’s responsibility to keep them healthy and safe.”
Trafton was charged with aggravated child abuse. Deputies said the baby is expected to make a full recovery.
