Two parents have been arrested on allegations that one of them caused multiple bone fractures and possible brain damage to their baby and that they neglected to seek medical care for her injuries.
Tulsa police arrested Thomas L. Calloway, 21, and Ashleigh D. Slack, 20, on Friday after Tulsa County prosecutors filed child neglect charges against them. Calloway was additionally charged with child abuse.
Their 3-month-old daughter was taken to a local hospital for a checkup on Aug. 6, according to a probable cause affidavit. While there, medical personnel discovered that the baby had up to eight bone fractures in her arms, legs and ribs, as well as retinal hemorrhages.
“Brain damage is likely, but the long term effects won’t be known for some time,” Tulsa Police Sgt. Stephen Lamb said in a news release.
Investigators suspect that some of the injuries occurred as early as two months prior to the infant’s checkup.
Physicians at the first hospital sent the child to another hospital. While under hospital care, the infant, whom doctors noted was underweight, rapidly gained weight, according to the affidavit.
Slack, also known as Ashleigh Calloway, told authorities she had noticed the bruising develop in the past months, police reported.
Thomas Calloway initially told investigators that their dog might have caused the infant’s injuries, but he later admitted to forcefully grabbing the infant and shaking her, police said. He also admitted knowing that the baby had been injured but did not seek medical care, police said.
Calloway also admitted to other instances of abuse, police reported.