Fort Osage, MO – A 23-year-old father in Missouri has been arrested after authorities say he severely beat his 2-month-old son, causing injuries so extensive that medical staff compared them to “being dropped from a two-story window.”
Infant Found With Severe Injuries
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 7:15 a.m. on Saturday to a home in Fort Osage after Emergency Medical Services reported a 2-month-old baby suffering from a serious head injury.
The infant was transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where doctors observed internal cranial bleeding, bruising across the face, head, chest, abdomen, and limbs, and elevated liver enzymes, raising suspicions of physical abuse.
Father’s Conflicting Statements
The father, Storm L. Sinclair, initially told paramedics that the baby had kicked and fallen onto a hard floor while he was trying to burp him. Officers noted that Sinclair repeatedly said, “I’m sorry.” However, hospital staff indicated that the severity of injuries did not match the father’s explanation.
During a formal interview with detectives, Sinclair allegedly admitted to multiple acts of abuse, including:
- Striking the baby in the back with an open hand
- Hitting the abdomen with a closed fist
- Smacking the head and shaking it “as hard as he could”
The probable cause affidavit concluded that the injuries were consistent with physical abuse, rather than an accidental fall from a bed.
Legal Charges and Court Appearance
Sinclair was charged with abuse or neglect of a child and was held at the Jackson County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond. He was later released after posting 10% in cash and is scheduled to appear in court on August 26 for a bond review hearing.
Medical staff and law enforcement emphasized that the pattern of bruising, brain bleeding, and other trauma indicated deliberate harm to the child rather than an accidental injury.
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