Pennsylvania Father Punched 1-Month-Old Baby, Causing Heart, Lung Damages

A one-month-old baby in Pennsylvania suffred bruises, broken bones and internal organ damages after being punched by her father. According to court documents, the injuries inflicted on the baby caused her to be put on a ventilator with life-threatening injuries.

The infant was admitted to the hospital over the weekend with bruises, a lacerated liver, a broken rib and tibia, and contusions to her heart, lungs and abdomen, local media reported. A case was filed against her father, 21-year-old Millersburg resident Devin Charles Joseph.

Joseph's wife, Taryn Herb, told investigators their baby stayed was with the father Saturday afternoon at a home on the 3200 block of Route 147, Upper Paxton Township while she went out with friends. When she returned later that day, she noticed her daughter was sleeping more than usual.

The affidavit said the child wouldn’t drink from a bottle afterward and was grunting when she breathed. Herb took the baby to Harrisburg Hospital after noticing bruising on her abdomen.

According to the affidavit, the child got transferred to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and by that time the baby was pale, unresponsive and needed to be resuscitated.

Initially, Joseph suggested the baby was stepped on by his parents’ dogs, or his sister had dropped something on her by mistake. He later admitted the baby fell out of his arm while he was playing Xbox, the affidavit said, adding that he punched the baby four times when she wouldn’t stop screaming when he caught her by the legs.

Joseph was charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault, as well as endangering the welfare of children.