Photos: Desiree Marie Daniels and Randall E. King
The biological parents of a 5-month-old baby suspected of being a victim of child abuse have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them.
Both 36-year-old Randall E. King and 32-year-old Desiree Marie Daniels of rural Mountain Home waived their appearance and entered the not guilty pleas through their attorneys.
On May 1, the baby was brought to Baxter Regional Medical Center (BRMC), after he reportedly began having seizures. He was then airlifted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) in Little Rock.
Doctors at ACH determined the infant had multiple injuries including subdural hemorrhage, lower thoracic spinal hemorrhage, a fractured clavicle, multi-layered retinal hemorrhages and rib fractures.
It is believed the baby had suffered two separate traumatic events, with the rib fractures occurring as much as two weeks prior to the head injury.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the parents had not immediately taken the baby to a doctor or a hospital for what turned out to be broken ribs.
They did not bring him to BRMC until he began having seizures.
The baby was treated at ACH for 10 days before being released into the custody of his paternal grandmother.
A 2-year-old stepsister living at the home was removed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
The parents told investigators King had dropped the infant when he tripped on some junk while going out the back door of the couple’s residence along County Road 420.
He was reported to have grabbed the baby by the shirt, but the little boy hit a cooler.
Daniels said the baby’s black eyes were caused by his stepsister throwing a toy at him.
The mother said the stepsister “hadn’t hit him for a while.” She described the sibling as being “a little rough.”
Daniels also said the baby had been “stuck sideways in his bassinet” the day before he was taken to the hospital.
Dr. Liza Murray at ACH reported the parents’ explanations were inconsistent with the baby’s injuries.
She said the rib injuries appeared to have been caused by “squeezing or crushing,” and the head injury was consistent with what is termed “Shaken Baby Syndrome.”
Dr. Murray told investigators it was her opinion injuries to the baby resulted from child abuse.
Daniels is free on $10,000 bond and King on a $5,000 bond.
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