DeKalb County authorities have arrested parents of an 8-week-old boy who police say suffered rib fractures and a brain injury.
Larissa Jones and Vence Menifee, both 30, blamed a teen babysitter for the child’s injuries, but police believe they were lying, according to records released Wednesday.
A police report detailed an extensive story Jones told about letting a neighbor watch the child on May 1. She said she knew the teen, who was 17 or 18, from around the neighborhood off East Ponce de Leon Avenue near Stone Mountain.
Jones said the teen watched the child and dropped him off with Jones’ cousin. The cousin noticed he was fussy and thought he might be suffering from colic.
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The next day, the child was still acting like he was in pain and screamed enough that Jones took him to the hospital, the mother said.
Staff at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta — Scottish Rite called police and state child welfare workers after seeing the injuries.
According to the report, the infant had hemorrhaging in his eyes, bruises and scratches on his neck and bruises on his chest in addition to the rib fractures and brain bleeding.
Jones, who has been released on $10,000 bond, maintained her innocence Wednesday.
“I did not cause any harm to my child,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I was at work.”
The child’s father didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The baby was taken into state custody, according to police.
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