Indiana Father Arrested After INFANT FOUND WITH MULTIPLE FRACTURES; Claims Injuries From Swaddling and Diaper Changes
A 28-year-old father in Indiana was arrested this week on charges of physically abusing his 6-month-old child. The infant was hospitalized with fractures in both arms and legs, which the father allegedly blamed on tight swaddling and “rough diaper changes.”
Tristan Dean Gerhardt was arrested on Monday and charged with one count of felony domestic abuse resulting in serious bodily injury to a minor under the age of 14 and one count of criminal abandonment of a dependent resulting in serious bodily damage, according to court documents reviewed by Law&Crime.
According to a case report from the Westfield Police Department, officers got information on July 29, 2024, about a “wanted person,” identified as Gerhardt, who was located at his house in the 1200 block of Scarlet Street. At around 11:19 p.m., police executed an arrest warrant and apprehended Gerhardt without incident.
A probable cause affidavit acquired by Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN revealed new details concerning Gerhardt’s arrest. According to the report, on May 1, 2024, police responded to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital about a newborn suspected of child abuse.
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The 6-month-old infant sustained numerous injuries, including shattered bones in the upper and lower sections of the left arm, the upper area of the right arm, the lower part of the left leg, and the upper and lower portions of the right leg.
The child also looked to have scarring where the gums and lips meet, which physicians indicated was likely caused by something being rammed into the infant’s mouth and had been a problem since the victim was about 3 weeks old.
Doctors treating the victim reportedly told investigators that the majority of the baby’s bone fractures appeared to be classic metaphyseal lesions (CMLs), also known as “corner” or “bucket handle” fractures, which occur near growth plates in immature bones and are strongly associated with physical abuse. According to doctors, the victim’s non-accidental injuries are often caused by “forceful yanking, pulling, or jerking” that produces “tearing at the end of the bone.”
The child’s mother allegedly informed detectives that Gerhardt looked after the youngster during the day since she worked. According to the complaint obtained by WXIN, Gerhardt informed investigators that the injuries could have been caused by firmly putting the baby in swaddles and performing some “rough diaper changes.”
However, doctors reportedly advised authorities that typical day-to-day handling of a newborn and even “rough diaper changes” would not explain the victim’s injuries.
“If someone changes an infant’s diaper in such a way that the pulling/jerking breaks his legs, they may refer to it as a ‘rough diaper change.'” “I would call this abusive,” a doctor stated in court documents obtained by WXIN, adding, “If a parent changing an infant’s diaper caused CML fractures, those actions would be abusive.”
A family member reportedly told authorities that Gerhardt exhibited problematic behavior when engaging with the infant. “Tristan is very mean, short-tempered, and yells a lot at the victim when [the victim’s mother] is not at home,” detectives allegedly wrote, citing a family member.
Following the incident, Gerhardt wrote a worrying message to the victim’s mother, stating that he had already contacted child services.
“I’ve been through this before,” he allegedly wrote. “I’m losing (sic) you both.”
Gerhardt appeared virtually for his initial hearing on Tuesday, where Magistrate Judge Gregory J. Garrison determined that there was probable cause for the arrest and set his bond at $150,000. He remained in the Hamilton County Detention Center on Thursday afternoon.
According to Lawandcrime, The omnibus hearing was scheduled for October 7, 2024.