Overview
- Police were called to a Hazel Park home after officers found a 4-week-old in pain with bruising, and the infant was taken to a hospital for treatment on Oct. 1.
- Oakland County prosecutors charged 20-year-old Cody Patterson with three counts of second-degree child abuse and he was arraigned Oct. 5 with a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf.
- Hospital imaging and staff reported more than 30 rib fractures plus breaks to a leg and an arm, with doctors saying the injuries appeared at different stages of healing.
- Investigators say Patterson told officers he became frustrated with the baby crying and admitted to squeezing and manipulating the infant’s limbs; prosecutors noted he is on probation and out on bond in a separate domestic-violence case.
- The infant remains in hospital care with Child Protective Services involved; a probable cause conference is set for Oct. 13 and a preliminary exam for Oct. 20 while each count carries up to 10 years in prison.