An Indiana man has been charged in connection to the violent shaking death of his girlfriend’s toddler, officials said.
Jesse Sartin of Lawrenceburg was charged Aug. 2 with murder and aggravated battery resulting in the death of a child, according to an Aug. 5 news release from Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens.
Attorney information for Sartin was not available.
Officers were called July 24 to a local hospital to investigate a suspicious head injury of the nearly 2-year-old patient, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Hospital staff were told the girl was injured after falling off an ottoman, but an investigation revealed Sartin shook the toddler, causing severe brain swelling, court records show.
Sartin was watching the child while her mother was at work, authorities said. Both the toddler and her mother had lived with Sartin in his home for about a year, court records show.
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The toddler's injuries were severe.
Sartin told investigators he shook the girl for about 20 seconds when she started to flail because she didn’t want to get out of the bathtub, court records show.
The toddler was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery to relieve the swelling in her skull, officials said.
Doctors said the swelling was so severe, her brain herniated and it was "leaking through her ears," court records show.
The child died August 1 from her injuries, officials said.
An autopsy revealed that she had “swelling to the brain, significant hemorrhages in both eyes and hemorrhaging in the spinal cord,” injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, according to authorities.
Lawrenceburg is about a 100-mile drive southeast from Indianapolis.
Shaken baby syndrome can be deadly.
Shaken baby syndrome is a traumatic brain injury inflicted when a baby is violently shaken, causing their brains to bounce back and forth in their skulls, leading to swelling, bruising, or bleeding, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
These injuries can lead to long-term brain damage or death.
If you suspect a child has experienced, is currently experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, your first step should be to contact the appropriate agency. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has a list of state agencies you can contact. Find help specific to your area here.
For additional help, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has professional crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. Call or text 1-800-422-4453.
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911 for help.
-by Lauren Liebhaber
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