EVERETT — A Mukilteo man has been arrested for investigation of child assault after a baby suffered a fractured skull and leg, arm and rib injuries.
A doctor from Seattle Children’s Hospital told police that the injuries were consistent with child abuse.
The skull fracture was “very significant,” court papers said. “The fracture appeared to be along the whole right side of his skull.”
The baby’s 15 rib fractures were consistent with squeezing and the arm and leg fractures were consistent with a jerking motion, according to the doctor’s report to Mukilteo police detectives. The rib fractures were at different stages of healing.
The baby has been removed from the home.
Andre J. Ash, 33, allegedly admitted shaking the baby on March 13 because he would not stop crying. He also reportedly acknowledged hitting the baby’s head against a wall more than once.
“He said that when he was shaking the baby he squeezed the baby hard to maintain his grip,” detectives wrote in an affidavit to establish probable cause for the arrest.
Ash allegedly admitted that he lost his grip while shaking the baby and grabbed him by the leg. He also speculated that the arm injury might have occurred when he struck the baby against the wall, court papers said.
Ash was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on Wednesday. Bail was set Thursday at $250,000.
Detective Nicole Stone met with doctors, social workers and prosecutors.
The message from the doctors was clear: “It was classic signs of child abuse. This was not accidental,” she said.
Detectives said the Everett Police Department also played an important role in the investigation.
“The whole investigation has been about the 5-week-old and making sure he is in a good spot,” Mukilteo detective Sgt. Cheol Kang said.
When detectives asked Ash what he would want to tell his son, he allegedly said he’d say “I am sorry and I love him.”
Doctors told investigators that the baby is expected to make a full recovery.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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