BROKEN BOW – A Broken Bow man is facing charges of intentional child abuse after an infant was hospitalized with serious injuries.
According to an arrest affidavit, police were called to Melham Medical Center when a 15-day old child was brought to the hospital with serious head injuries. The boy’s father, 30-year-old Adam Schaefer, told hospital staff the injury happened when he was putting the child in a car seat and the boy threw his head back and hit it on the door.
The radiologist who conducted a scan of the child said the injuries did not match Schaefer’s explanation and the boy was transported to Children’s Hospital in Omaha for further treatment. While in Omaha it was discovered the child also had a broken pelvis.
DHHS caseworkers told police that Schaefer told them a similar story, but that some of the details had changed, causing them to question the explanation.
On Sept. 30 a State Patrol investigator spoke with Schaefer. The investigator says Schaefer told him that he had taken the boy for a ride because the baby was fussy. While getting into the car Schaefer slapped the infant three times with an open hand then threw the boy into the car seat. Schaefer told the investigator he “saw red” when the baby started crying and drove around to calm himself. He noticed the boy’s injuries when they arrived home. Schaefer did not tell the boy’s mother what happened.
Schaefer’s bond has been set at 10% of $250,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
