Minnesota Man Charged with Punching Baby Son in the Face

LITTLE CANADA, Minn. (AP) — A Little Canada man is accused of severely injuring his newborn son by repeatedly punching the crying 4-week-old child in the face.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that 23-year-old Johnny Taylor is charged with first-degree assault.

The baby was taken to a hospital emergency room after the Sunday incident and eventually admitted to intensive care. Doctors said the infant had extensive bruising to his face and body, bleeding inside his skull, at least two broken ribs a potential brain injury.

The “severely abused infant” could have died from his injuries, the complaint said.

In an interview with investigators, Taylor denied punching or shaking his son. He said he and his girlfriend had been arguing while he was holding the newborn and that each started slapping the other.