A 20-year-old man in Ohio is facing serious charges after allegedly assaulting his newborn son, causing brain damage due to a violent outburst triggered by his inability to locate his vape device.
Hunter Dalton, a resident of Ohio, was taken into custody and charged with felonious assault, domestic violence by assault, and assault following a distress call to the police about a domestic altercation at an apartment complex in Ohio. The incident was reported by the child’s mother, who sought refuge with her dog in the apartment building’s leasing office. She informed authorities that Dalton had threatened her and their one-month-old baby. Upon arrival, police found the mother in the leasing office and Dalton outside their apartment. The infant was discovered in the crib struggling to breathe.
The baby was promptly transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for urgent medical care. Doctors at the hospital revealed that the newborn had sustained brain bleeding and damage but is expected to survive.
During an interrogation, the child’s mother disclosed that Dalton had previously strangled her and on the day of the assault, he became agitated when he couldn’t find his vape upon waking up. His anger escalated when she declined to assist in the search due to caring for their child and noticing the dog’s activities in the house.
Allegedly, Dalton threw the mother to the ground, mistreated the dog, threw objects around, and issued death threats to both her and the baby. She mentioned that Dalton’s temper had worsened since the baby’s birth, attributing it to feeling overwhelmed and easily irritated. Dalton denied harming his son, claiming he only moved the baby from a seat to the crib.
Whitehall’s Chief Deputy of Police, Shawn Wilson, expressed sympathy for the infant and urged the community to support the family during this challenging period. Dalton is currently detained at the Franklin County Correction Center on a $1 million bail and is prohibited from engaging in threatening behavior, firearm possession, alcohol consumption, or contacting the victims. His court appearance for trial is scheduled for September 29.