Man gets prison time for hitting baby to stop her from crying, causing skull fracture

BLACKFOOT – A 25-year-old man is going to situation aft admitting to hitting a babe to get her to extremity crying and causing a skull fracture.

District Judge Bruce Pickett sentenced Kade Michael Jones to a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 12 years successful prison.

Jones initially pleaded not blameworthy to felony aggravated artillery and a felony enhancement for causing awesome bodily wounded aliases disablement aft being accused of striking a babe truthful difficult that he caused a skull fracture.

In April, Jones signed a plea statement wherever he agreed to plead blameworthy to felony aggravated artillery successful speech for nan prosecution dropping nan enhancement.

The plea statement besides stated nan prosecution would urge nary much than a minimum of six years successful situation astatine sentencing. They were besides free to reason for immoderate magnitude of maximum time.

According to Bingham County Prosecutor Ryan Jolley, nan authorities based on for a condemnation of a minimum of six years and a maximum of 15 years successful prison, while Jones’ defense attorney, Jeffrey Kunz, based on for probation.

“My thoughts and prayers stay pinch nan unfortunate successful this lawsuit for a afloat and complete betterment and a happy and patient future,” says Jolley successful a news release.

Background

On May 11, a Bingham County Sheriff’s detective learned of a 1-week-old babe astatine Idaho Falls Community Hospital who was suffering from a skull fracture, bruising and swelling, according to tribunal documents.

According to constabulary reports, nan babe was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital successful Salt Lake City.

The detective talked to nan baby’s doctor, who said nan parents, Jones and his wife, told him “the only point they could deliberation of that whitethorn person caused this wounded was their 2-year-old girl kicked (the baby) successful nan caput erstwhile she was getting disconnected nan couch.”

Court documents bespeak nan expert did not judge nan 2-year-old caused nan injury.

When nan detective arrived astatine nan infirmary successful Salt Lake City, he noticed nan babe besides had a “larger swollen area connected nan correct broadside of nan skull supra nan ear.”

According to Jones, he had noticed nan swollen area a fewer days before, but nan parents waited to return nan babe to nan expert until a regular check-up. The check-up yet led to them taking nan babe to nan hospital.

Jones was later interviewed again and admitted to laying nan babe connected nan level to alteration her diaper while she was crying. He told detectives it was “possibly a sensory overload, and he slapped her connected nan broadside of her caput pinch his correct hand.”

Jones told rule enforcement he deed nan babe “harder than he wanted to” and that it was retired of a 2nd of anger.

He stated he vanished changing nan baby’s diaper, and nan babe was still crying, but he didn’t spot immoderate bruising.

A warrant was issued for Jones’ apprehension connected May 24, and he was booked into nan Bingham County Jail nan aforesaid time pinch a enslaved of $250,000.

A no-contact bid was issued for nan victim, and his enslaved was later reduced to $50,000, which he paid.