Father accused of child abuse, infant in critical condition

An Orlando father is accused of shaking his 4-month-old son.

Brennan J. Knowles, 22, was charged with child abuse. (Orange County Jail, Orange County Jail / January 11, 2010)

ORANGE COUNTY–A four-month-old boy is in critical condition at an Orlando hospital after allegedly being shaken by his father, according to Orlando police.

Officers arrested Brennan J. Knowles, 22, on Sunday and charged him with child abuse, aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child. He is being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.

The infant is on a ventilator at Arnold Palmer Hospital.

Police reports show Knowles was at home alone with his son when the boy was injured. Doctors determined the infant suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome, according to a report.

The child’s mother told police she has warned Knowles in the past about being ‘rough’ with the child. She also reported that she and Knowles have had ongoing domestic violence issues in the relationship.

Reports show that the boy’s mother left the family apartment at 10 a.m. Saturday to work a shift at a Taco Bell in Altamonte Springs. The child was in good health when she left, she said.

Knowles was with the child at the apartment with a group of friends playing video games until they left at 8 p.m.

Knowles told investigators he checked on the boy between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. because he was screaming ‘really loud’ and stiffening his arms and legs. He shook the baby and told detectives it must have been “harder than he really thought,” according to a report.

Once the child was quiet, Knowles put him in his crib.

Knowles “admitted later when he checked on the victim, he knew something was wrong but did not think to seek medical attention for the victim,” a report stated.

As the night progressed the child’s breathing became labored and he would not respond, Knowles told police.

When the boy’s mother returned home around 3 a.m., she “immediately knew something was wrong” and tried to splash cold water on the boy’s face to revive him before calling for help.

The mother was not charged in connection to the crime.

SOURCE: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-child-abuse-shaken-baby-20100111,0,5884411.story