California Man Arrested For Inflicting Life-Threatening Injuries On Infant Son

San Mateo County authorities Tuesday arrested a San Carlos, California, man for inflicting life-threatening injuries on his four-month-old son.

The infant was admitted to the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center on Feb. 18 with serious injuries. The San Mateo County launched an investigation on the same day and concluded the child’s father as the suspect and obtained a $100,000 warrant for his arrest.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Carl Walstra, was arrested from his home on the 100 block of Leslie Drive on Tuesday.

“We believe this is an isolated incident and no other children were harmed,” said Sgt. Joseph Cang. More information about the child's mother, or other members of his family, were not available.

The child’s condition got worse and he was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Cang said the child is “slowly recovering” from his injuries.

Walstra was booked into San Mateo County jail on a charge of cruelty to a child causing great bodily injury. Anyone with information about Walstra can contact Detective Jerri Cosens at 650-363-4367 or jcosens@smcgov.org.

In a similar incident in Pasco, Washington, earlier this month, a man was arrested after his girlfriend’s infant daughter was found with multiple injuries. The child was found with a “significant bruising to her face.” A detailed medical test revealed that the infant had a broken rib and multiple broken bones all over her body.

The mother and her boyfriend were detained for questioning. Tre'vere Brown, 20, was arrested for suspicion of second-degree assault of a child. His bail was set at $25,000.