Father was enraged by baby’s sobs, papers say

Published 10:48 pm Tuesday, August 28, 2007

On two occasions over the last three weeks, Shaun Jarradee Turner allegedly tried to quell his infant son’s crying by squeezing him, jamming the child’s legs back and stuffing a baby bottle into his mouth.

The 7-week-old infant is being treated at Children’s Hospital in Seattle, while Turner, 22, sits in the Snohomish County Jail charged with second-degree assault of a child.

The baby was born July 8 to Turner and his 18-year-old girlfriend. In the span since, the child has suffered three broken ribs, two fractures of his collarbone and a broken leg, according to Snohomish County Superior Court charging papers filed Tuesday by deputy prosecutor Mark Roe.

Roe alleged there were two separate attacks on the child, the first about three weeks ago after Turner was awakened in the middle of the night by the sobbing baby.

He told officers he was “nice” at first and made many efforts to stop the crying, “but that he eventually lost his temper and wasn’t so nice,” Roe said.

Turner described for Everett detectives forcibly jamming a baby bottle into the child’s mouth “and squeezing him until he heard a pop,” Roe said. Turner also told officers about pushing the child’s “legs up into (the infant’s) stomach, and doing so forcefully as well,” documents said.

The last alleged abuse happened last week when the boy would not stop crying, Roe said.

“Again (Turner) became frustrated and squeezed and abused his infant son,” Roe wrote.

Turner and his girlfriend took the baby to Providence Everett Medical Center on Friday, and the child was transferred to Children’s after broken bones were discovered.

Turner at first contended that the baby’s injuries must have happened at childbirth. He later told detectives what he had done, according to documents. He was arrested Friday.

The child’s mother was questioned, but asked no questions about the baby’s condition, Roe said. Instead, she tearfully asked when she could see Turner, he added.

Officers continued the investigation over the weekend, talking to relatives.

“The detective was unable to further discuss the situation with (the baby’s) mother, however,” Roe said. “The detective was told by relatives that (the child’s) mother had gone to the fair.”

Turner has a 2005 felony conviction for a property crime. If he is convicted as charged, he faces up to four years in prison.

A more serious charge could be filed, depending on what’s learned from medical reports when they become available, Roe said.

A judge on Tuesday set bail for Turner at $50,000.