A 20-year-old US man is facing serious charges after allegedly throwing his eight-month-old son against a wall in frustration while playing a video game. Jalin White has been charged with physical abuse of a child and neglect causing serious bodily injury following the Nov. 5 incident, Fox News reports.
According to court documents, police were called to Children’s Wisconsin Hospital to investigate after the child was admitted with life-threatening injuries. The child, who suffered significant injuries, is not expected to survive, prosecutors said.
Medical professionals reported that the infant, who was in various stages of treatment, suffered a large skull fracture, bleeding on the brain and multiple ribs and clavicle fractures. Craniectomy was performed to reduce pressure on the child’s brain, but the condition remains critical.
“This is probably going to be a homicide,” said Milwaukee Assistant District Attorney Madeline Witte during White’s court appearance. “This is a serious level of violence to an innocent baby who has suffered multiple injuries,” he said, according to Live5 News.
The criminal complaint states that White admitted to throwing the child during an intense gaming session of ‘NBA 2K.’ Jalin White told investigators he was losing games and became frustrated.
According to the complaint, White said, “He was getting heavy in my arms,” before describing how he threw the child against the wall and onto the bed. The child hit the wall about a foot above the bed and fell face first to the ground.
“I heard the wall. It was very hard on his head. It was difficult. It was a high, hard wall,” White confessed to detectives.
Prosecutors revealed that the child’s rib injuries indicated prior abuse, indicating that this was not an isolated incident.
Attorney Witte confirmed, “If the child dies, prosecutors will change the charges to murder.” If convicted of the current charges, Jalin White faces up to 62 years in prison, a sentence that could be compounded with a murder conviction.
During the hearing, when the court commissioner outlined the charges and evidence, White shook his head and ordered his $100,000 cash bail.
“This incident represents a tragic and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable infant,” the court commissioner said.
Officials are monitoring the condition of the child. White is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.
