GREENFIELD — Four caregivers of an infant boy who was put on life support last month appeared in court Tuesday to plead not guilty to the neglect charges they face.
The baby’s adult grandparents and teen parents — who lived with the child at a home in the 700 block of Brook Street in Greenfield and together helped care for the baby — were arrested Monday evening after criminal charges were filed against them, officials said.
Doctors say the child’s injuries are consistent with shaken baby syndrome, documents state.
Investigators believe the baby’s 16-year-old father caused those injuries, which included bleeding to the brain, rib fractures, a broken thigh bone and swelling of tissue in the neck, court documents state.
The teen was the only caregiver home with the baby on the two days police believe the injuries occurred, according to court documents.
A judge will decide next month if he and the baby’s 17-year-old mother should be waived into adult court, prosecutors said.
Police believe the baby’s mother and live-in grandparents — Pearl Holland, 38, and Heath Kimberlin, 41 — didn’t do enough to seek medical attention for the baby when his condition worsened, according to court documents.
Holland and Kimberlin both face two Level 3 felony counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in injury and one Level 5 felony count of neglect of a dependent resulting in injury.
Each was being held in the Hancock County Jail on a $10,000 surety bond at press time.
Police and prosecutors released little information Tuesday about the criminal counts filed against the baby’s teen parents Monday.
Because it is a juvenile court cause, defendants names and the charges they face are not public record.
Both teens appeared before a judge Tuesday, as well, but the proceedings were closed to the public. The pair will be held at a juvenile detention center in Muncie until their hearing next month, officials said.
The baby was rushed to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in November and placed on life support. Doctors ran a series of tests and found the child had broken bones and multiple brain bleeds that doctors told police could only be caused by abusive head trauma, according to court documents.
The baby is stable and has since been released from the hospital and into the care of a relative, officials said.
There’s no way to know what lasting effects the injuries he suffered might cause, police said.