Update on charges
An 18-year-old Columbia father was charged in connection with injuries sustained by his one-month-old son following an incident Thursday night in the borough.
Charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children by Columbia Police was Brandon Scott Brooks, 18, of South Eighth Street. Detective Dan Bell said that Brooks was arraigned Friday before District Judge William Reuter of Mount Joy and placed in Lancaster County Prison. Brooks, Bell said, met bail and was released from prison over the weekend.
Bell said police first became aware of the incident Friday, Feb. 29 when they received a call from a York County healthcare facility that the injured infant was brought in for treatment of injuries. Police were advised that the baby had serious injuries to the head and leg areas and was being flown to Hershey Medical Center for treatment.
Police said in the arrest affidavit that the infant suffered a subdual hematoma on the left side of its skull; a fracture on the right side of the skull; a fractured right femur, a injured spleen and possible rib injuries. Columbia Police said the baby has undergone a couple of surgeries.
Bell said he immediately called the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office and detectives from that office conducted interviews with the baby’s mother, who is a minor and mother at the Hershey Medical Center.
Police said the incident happened at the mother’s home on Walnut Street, between 7-9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28.
After interviewing the baby’s mother and and her mother, detectives then interviewed Brooks about the incident.
The arrest affidavit said that Brooks admitted to police that he threw the child a “distance of at least three feet” toward a wooden headboard and the baby’s had rotated while it was in the air and the baby’s rear head and body struck the headboard.
Police said Brooks was trying to get the baby to drink from a bottle and was “fussy.”
Brooks then told police that when the baby’s head hit the wooden headboard, it produced a “banging sound.”
Charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children by Columbia Police was Brandon Scott Brooks, 18, of South Eighth Street. Detective Dan Bell said that Brooks was arraigned Friday before District Judge William Reuter of Mount Joy and placed in Lancaster County Prison. Brooks, Bell said, met bail and was released from prison over the weekend.
Bell said police first became aware of the incident Friday, Feb. 29 when they received a call from a York County healthcare facility that the injured infant was brought in for treatment of injuries. Police were advised that the baby had serious injuries to the head and leg areas and was being flown to Hershey Medical Center for treatment.
Police said in the arrest affidavit that the infant suffered a subdual hematoma on the left side of its skull; a fracture on the right side of the skull; a fractured right femur, a injured spleen and possible rib injuries. Columbia Police said the baby has undergone a couple of surgeries.
Bell said he immediately called the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office and detectives from that office conducted interviews with the baby’s mother, who is a minor and mother at the Hershey Medical Center.
Police said the incident happened at the mother’s home on Walnut Street, between 7-9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28.
After interviewing the baby’s mother and and her mother, detectives then interviewed Brooks about the incident.
The arrest affidavit said that Brooks admitted to police that he threw the child a “distance of at least three feet” toward a wooden headboard and the baby’s had rotated while it was in the air and the baby’s rear head and body struck the headboard.
Police said Brooks was trying to get the baby to drink from a bottle and was “fussy.”
Brooks then told police that when the baby’s head hit the wooden headboard, it produced a “banging sound.”
Labels: Police
posted by Tide talk at
2:28 PM
37 Comments:
I am the grandfather of the infant involved,and would like everyone to respect the privacy of both families involved.Please refrain from gossip and rumors,as NO ONE outside of our families knows ANYTHING!This was an accident,and all involved will get through this with the help of God and all of your prayers.Also,let me say that there is nothing but love and support for our grandson,as well as BOTH of his parents from BOTH of our families.I`m also confident that all charges will be totally exhonerated when all the facts are considered.These are 2 wonderful,caring,loving children with a beautiful baby boy.I know this because all 3 were,and will again,reside under my watch,in my home.So please,pray for the three children,and for their future together as a family.
Respectfully,The family.
This is a very sad situation and it is even more upsetting to me that the writer of this story does not have his facts correct. The mother of this child is my best friend and i have been with her and talked with her every night since Friday. Every one thinks that they need to say what their 2 cents is about the baby, the mother and the father, well they have to right to. Nobody knows the full story and nobody should. I have been down to see the baby and with thanks to God he is doing better every day. Everyone including Barry Ford needs to give these two family who are suffering right now their privacy and respect. A lot of information that Barry Ford reported is wrong. I can say that the next time i read another thing with his name on it, i will have to really question if it is true or false because this proves he is only looking for a story and doesn't care if the information is right or wrong or if the people involved will get hurt. This artical is upseting to me also because the grandfather of this baby has asked TWICE to respect their privacy and Barry had ignored it TWICE. I consider the grandfather of this baby almost like a father to me, he would do anything for his children and has done everything in his power to protect his family, and the fact that he is being ignored is sad. So maybe Mr. Ford will get the point and take down his blogs but until then i ask that everyone pray and keep both familys in their prays.
-Family Friend.
The man is only reporting the information that was given to him by police. If this is incorrect, maybe you should direct your anger at the police.
Once again,I find the need to correct ignorance.Mr. Ford was NOT,I repeat,NOT given this information by law enforcement.Nor was he given permission to elaborate on ANY medical information,as it is a violation of HIPPA and the Privacy Act.He will be dealt with according to the law,as will all parties involved with letting him convey misinformation,including the owners of this very website.I`m sure this will be my last comment,as I feel all who read it are intelligent enough to get the hint:WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY MORE.
Sincerely,Michael A. Melbert
It is a very sad thing that had to happen to three young children. If Mike was a good father like the family friend says he is this would not have happened. No good father lets his 15year old daughter get pregnant in this day and age, not with all the birth control out. Mike is not a good father or he would be going to work everyday and supporting his family. NO, not Mike, the family has no money to buy oil for heat, his wife had to borrow money from other family members. and all Mike is worried about is his next fix. I am very sorry about this accident and I do pray for all the babies in the case. It seems Mike just wants this to be about him and how he can take avantage of this and how this can benefit Mike. Mike is no father, no father lets any of his children go with out. Mike does though, just as long as Mike has for himself!
As a point of clarification, all information received in the police report on the incident involving the one-month-old baby came from the criminal complaint/arrest affidavit obtained from the police and district magistrate’s office.
It is a public document, which the family has a copy of.
Yes, the family has called the office and we have spoken with a family member. It is not a good situation, we all agree.
If there are any changes in the charges, it will be reported.
How sad a situation! Where are the parents?? A normal parent would prohibit their daughter from acknlowedging this "father" after an incident so appalling! Those ties would be severed from here out in defense of this innocent child! Where are his rights, neither child should have custody of this baby. All goes back to kids having kids! What a pathetic society...don't we all get frustrated with our babies at times but it doesn't make us throw them against a headboard! No matter if it was intentional or not, there needs to be accountability...period...it's pretty hard to break the femur of a newborn being their bones are still flexible...sorry just doesn't cut it and I guess all the taxpayers of the state will foot this huge bill for the medical expenses, but then again I am certain the whole pregnancy was funded by the state along with future WIC allowances for formula, etc...I am doing something wrong...If I were a parent in this situation I would slap my son on the ass and want to crawl in a hole out of embarrassment and hope my son learned a sad lesson that may have ruined his whole life; was it all worth it? Hindsight is 20/20, huh? And how sad that Mr. Ford is taking the brunt for all the press release on the issue. This is Columbia for God's sake...eveyrone knows everyone! It's easy to try to take the spotlight off the real facts...the boy threw an innocent helpless baby and damaged him for life. If the girl's parents can't accept his unbelievable actions, it's not Mr. Ford's fault. I say pray for a good lawyer, oh, yeh, at taxpayers expense I'm sure!
Hey Mike, put down the pipe and get a clue. Reporters aren't covered under HIPPA laws. Those injuries were no accident no matter how you try to spin it. Even family members of former public officials can't cover up criminal acts. You should all be hung out to dry for waiting until the next day to get medical attention for that baby. God help that baby if any of you ever get your hands on it again.
This is to the "grandfather" of the injured baby. A baby doesn't just wake up one day with injuries as severe as these. Are you and your wife completly blind? Why would you defend someone that admits "throwing", I repeat "throwing" a helpless baby? You say we don't know all the facts, well let me tell you something butthead, we do know the baby was flown in a helicopter to Hershey, we do know the baby had several operations, we do know the baby didn't get these injuries on it's own, we do know the babies "dad" admitted to causing the injuries and we do know you are defending him. Are you nuts or is that what crack does to people? Yes we all know you are a crack head but that has nothing to with this case. This is about children raising a child which apparently they do not deserve to have. Here's hoping they lose custody for the childs sake. How can you call yourself a "grandfather"??? A real grandfather loves and would protect his grandchild. You have to be a good father and a good husband before you can begin to be a "grandfather". The kid is guilty and the whole town knows it so be a real man for once and stand up and defend your grandchild instead of defending his abuser.
Just thinking of how that poor baby suffered untill the next day makes me ill. That baby needs to be in the custody of anybody but either family involved.
It is a real shame that people think they can throw their opinions around like it's nothing. This whole blog thing has gotten way out of hand, and that's very evident after reading these comments that have been posted. I'm positive the family doesn't need or want their business suddenly being everyone elses. But this is a town where everyone lives for gossip, so I can't say I'm suprised. But here's an idea...Instead of firing off vicious comments at the grandfather, talking about how "irresponsible" the parents are, and pointing fingers at who you believe is to blame, think about whether your opinion is really needed. The only thing that people should be saying about any of this is prayers for the baby. So to those with negative comments, learn how to put all of that aside for the time being, thanks.
who posted the first blog??? The grandfather.
I am a family member of the MOTHER of the injured child. I am appalled that there are so many people who offer criticism on a situation when they only know what is reported and nothing else. I also want to ask why if you have the guts to post a comment and point fingers and make accusations you do not have the guts to publish it with your name? And how chidish are you that you have to use a tragedy that happened to a poor innocent child to belittle other members of the family with matters that have nothing to do with this situation? This situation is a very hard time for all of us involved and we never realized that asking for a little bit of PRIVACY and RESPECT was asking too much. AS far as questioning parenting skills...I am a mother as well. I do not understand how in today's society someone would be ignorant enough to the fact to even ask how a parent "can let their teenage daughter get pregnant". Have you seriously lost touch with the world outside of your glass house? Teen pregnancy is an everyday occurence and there is no way to "prevent" it....IT HAPPENS!!! Did you ever stop to ask yourself what you would do in this situation? How would you react? My brother is a great Father and Grandfather and I am not quite sure who you are to make any judgements. Obviously you must have some faults of your own considering that you can not even sign your name to the comments that you have posted so that really does not say much for your character. So in closing if you have a "PERSONAL" vendetta against my brother, that is your problem but it is not the situation at hand. Instead of pointing fingers and using this time to bash on other people, maybe you should try to focus all your energy into praying for the baby and the family.
This blog site is way outof control
I was once told that Columbians eat their own. Never has that become more clear to me than right now. There are two families and many, many friends and relatives suffering right now and the thought that this garbage would even be posted speaks volumes to the type of society that we live in. How cold hearted and shameful this entire blog has become. How cowardly are those who can make slanderous and hurtful comments and not have the credibility to sign names. A family has asked for privacy and respect in their time of need. I truly hope that when my great-nephew is older he never learns of the disgusting behavior surrounding this website. SHAME ON YOU!!! I believe we live in a society where an individual is innocent until proven guilty. How either family involved chooses to handle this situation is no one's business.
I do believe Mike started all this BS by posting the first blog. He is the one who opened a can of worms. As they say, if you can't take the heat get out of the fire. I expect nothing more of his sisters to defend him. As far as "GUILT" the Brooks boy already admitted guilt. That is a "FACT". That baby is only in the hospital because of one person and we all know who that is. It's just a shame that no one in that house noticed such severe injuries untill the next day. Explain that one to me. And by the way the only one suffering is that baby. Not the family.
If "starting this BS" means trying to get respect and privacy for your family then yes I suppose Mike is guilty. But you are just as guilty by not letting well enough alone and adding fuel to the "fire". You seem to know so much but yet still will not reveal your identity...go figure...spineless!! Making a "confession" is not the same as proven guilty. You have no right to say who is suffering other than the baby as I am sure you really have no idea. So as previously stated...Pray for the family and also for all the ignorance of the people voicing what they feel when they really have no clue.
Ok ....so let me get this straight. He "confessed"....to throwing a baby. What more do you people need to hear ??????
I'm still trying to figure out how Barry broke HIPPA laws. Even IF he could be held accountable, it looks like he wrote this report from the affidavit of arrest, which by the way, is a public document and available to anyone who wants it.
OMG... how can you people defend what this Brooks boy did. Ok even if he lied to the police and it wasn't his fault, then why did it take you people so long to get medical attention to this baby? I'm sorry we must not have "all the facts". Were you people too busy trying to scrounge up gas money to take the baby to the doctor. You people make me sick. Even if the "father" really did throw the baby it should be the adult family members who are defending his actions that should be held accountable. You people make me sick.
xxxxx
Okay..."subdural hematoma," "skull fracture," "injured spleen," and "possible rib injuries." And it's "an accident?"
Sounds like to me, this whole family is an "accident." Like, the lower end of the gene pool.
Now this "accident" family has hit LancasterOnline Talkback forum to criticize the posters there for their outrage. Does this family have no shame? NEWSFLASH gramps. Criminal activity is not a private matter. It's public information. Suck it up. It looks like the whole rotten bunch of you has some real bad Karma going.
Everyone needs to realize that the true victim in this situation is THE BABY!! And for those of you who are defending this Brooks boy...SHAME ON YOU!! Do you not have a heart? You people defending him make me SICK!! And to the Grandparents in this, how could you NOT know that something was wrong with that baby?? Babies just dont cry for no reason...And I just cannot believe that nobody in that house noticed anything!! It just blows my mind. Im a single mother of a wonderful boy, and I would of NEVER even thought about "tossing" him across a room!! This is a prime example of why kids shouldnt be having kids!! But the Adults in that house are just as much at fault as that boy! Why did the grandparents wait SOOO long to get that baby medical attention? As soon as the grandmother noticed the baby had a black eye...YOU SHOULD OF DONE SOMETHING!! But nooo you sat around and did NOTHING!! That poor baby was in soo much pain and you turned your back!! I wish the best for that baby and hope he makes a FULL recovery!! I just hope the Dear Lord steps in and does NOT send that baby back to that home! That home will most likely be his "fate"...Everyone who was in that house that night needs to all share a cell together!!
-Heartbroken Mother
Oh my I have never seen so many ignorant hateful people gathered in one place! None of us has been educated enough to pass judgement on anybody! Something terrible has happened and instead of coming together all we can do is point fingers. I dont know how others view themselves but I have done things in the past I am not proud of. People make mistakes. The person responsible will pay. It wont be us that decides how they pay and it should not be us that states who is to blame! This situation is under investigation...Let them investigate! If your going to pray then do so with love for your neighbor ...Not with hate!!! I feel for these families and if we were a carying community we would pray for answers not for punishment and we would pray for the baby's recovery not the demise of the baby's family!!!
AMEN!!!!!!!! "sad with dismay "
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
The real victim is the baby. Let's not forget that.
Let the police do their job.
WHO WROTE THAT THE BABY HAD A BLACK EYE? YOUS PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS.... GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU PASS JUDGEMENT ON PEOPLE...
Whoever is out there calling us Idiots...maybe you should stand back and take a look in the mirror!
"YOUS" people are idiots??? Who is the real idiot??? Learn to spell and speak before you post.
Anonymous said...
WHO WROTE THAT THE BABY HAD A BLACK EYE? YOUS PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS.... GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU PASS JUDGEMENT ON PEOPLE...
Then maybe you can explain why the baby is blind in one eye. And while you're at it, explain why the CSI unit was at the Melbert house and what they found.
ACTUALLY I DO KNOW THE ANSWERS!!! BUT NONE OF THEM ARE ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS... THE BABY IS NOT BLIND IN ONE EYE!!!!!!!!!! WHERE DO YOU PEOPLE HEAR ALL OF THIS??? AND BY THE WAY--IF MAKING A TYPO MAKES ME AN IDIOT THEN I GUESS WE ARE ALL IDIOTS, BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES IT! SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT... THE CRIME SCENE UNIT WAS AT THE MELBERT HOUSE, AND THATS HOW YOU KNOW THAT THE BABY HAD A BLACK EYE AND THATS ALSO HOW YOU KNOW THAT THE BABY IS BLIND IN ONE EYE. BOY OH BOY YOU HAVE A WILD IMAGINATION!!! A BABY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THAT IS WHY THE CRIME SCENE UNIT WAS AT THE HOUSE. WHAT THEY COLLECTED AS EVIDENCE IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS!!! I REALIZE THAT EVERYONE HAS OPINIONS, AND YOU ARE ALL INTITLED TO THEM, BUT DO NOT POST DETAILS IF YOUR NOT POSITIVE AND I MEAN 100 PERCENT SURE THAT THEY ARE TRUE! JUST LIKE SOMEONE ELSE POSTED--THE REAL VICTIM HERE IS THE BABY SO LETS NOT FORGET THAT!!!!!!!!!
The baby never had a black eye, his eye was swollen and the grandmother called the doctor while the baby was crying and the DOCTOR told them to wait until the morning when he had his one month wellness check-up. And the baby does not have a ruptured splean either. And dont try to blame the parents of mother and father, do any of you who have kids know where your kids are 24/7? what their doing and when? CSI was investigating, like they should every one knows that. A baby was hurt, and it happened at the Melbert house, that would be the reason they were there.
AND JUST A REMINDER---DON'T GO BY WHAT THE PAPERS SAY, BECAUSE THEY EVEN HAVE FALSE INFORMATION IN THEM... IT IS SOOOOO FUNNY LISTENING TO ALL OF THESE COMMENTS. EVERYONE THINKS THAT THEY "KNOW" BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA!!!!!
It seems to me that the one blogger who keeps commenting in caps is a lil touchy? Is what people are posting offending you? Well I guess the truth hurts. You keep sticking up for those people. WHY?? You should focus your concern on the baby...NOT fighting thru comments. Childish!! My heart aches for that baby...
OF COURSE I'M TOUCHY, I LOVE THE BABY... I KNOW THE MELBERT FAMILY PERSONALLY AND I LOVE ALL OF THEM! LIKE I SAID, YOU ARE ALL ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN OPINIONS. BUT IF YOU KNEW WHAT I KNEW WHICH IS ALL FIRST HAND INFORMATION, COMPARED TO ALL OF YOUR FOURTH,FIFTH, AND SIXTH HAND INFORMATION. YOU ALL WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT I DO. AND FOR THE RECORD, I "AM NOT" STICKING UP FOR THE PERSON WHO DID THIS. I AM STICKING UP FOR THE MELBERT FAMILY!!! (THE FAMILY THAT NONE OF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT) AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, I AM FOCUSING MY CONCERN ON THE BABY, THAT IS WHY I'M TRYING TO STOP ALL OF YOU FROM MAKING FALSE ACCUSATIONS, AND REPORTING FALSE INJURIES. SO IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, WHO IS THE "CHILDISH" ONES HERE??? PLEASE THINK ABOUT ALL THE PAIN AND HEARTACHE THAT THIS IS CAUSING THE MOTHER OF THE BABY! SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE SHE WAS FORGOTTEN. WHY??? BECAUSE SHE IS A YOUNG MOTHER, AND YOU ALL DISAPPROVE OF THAT. THEREFORE ARE HER FEELINGS VOID??? OF COURSE THEIR NOT, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?????????? GET OVER YOURSELVES, AND TRY TO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT "GOD" HAS IN STORE FOR YOU!
......
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home