McALESTER —
A McAlester man has recently been accused of biting a 4-month-old boy in the leg and striking him in the shoulder.
Benjamin D. Staples Jr., 24, was charged Tuesday in Pittsburg County District Court with one count of child abuse by injury.
According to court records, McAlester Police Det. Frankie McClendon responded to a call in July regarding a young boy who was being treated for bruising on his right shoulder and thigh at the McAlester Regional Health Center.
McClendon caught up with the child and his mother later that day and “observed an area near the right shoulder / upper right arm of (the child) that appeared to be bruised,” a police affidavit states.
The child’s mother informed police that she had gone to work and Staples watched the child while she was gone, according to the affidavit.
When police interviewed Staples, he allegedly told them that he had fallen asleep on the couch while the child was sleeping on a blanket on the floor just beside the couch, the affidavit states. “Benjamin (Staples) said he fell off the couch during his sleep and landed on the floor. Benjamin (Staples) said he tried to stand up and fell forward, landing on the right shoulder of (the child). This was Benjamin (Staples’) explanation for the injury,” the affidavit states.
The following day the child was examined by a nurse practitioner, who expressed concerns regarding his injuries, according to the affidavit. The examiner “found three areas of concern while conducting the exam of (the child,” the affidavit states. “This includes a rash on his right deltoid, an injury to the right mid thigh and a contusion near the right hip.”
The child had injuries that were consistent with bite marks, the affidavit states.
Contact Rachel Petersen at rpetersen@mcalesternews.com.
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