Father accused of abusing baby jailed on $250,000 bond

  STILLWATER — A 29-year-old Stillwater man accused of abusing his two-month-old baby while his wife was at work has been jailed on $250,000 bond pending an Oct. 5 court appearance at which he can seek a preliminary hearing.

   If convicted of child abuse by shaking or using force sufficient to leave bruises on the infant’s buttocks and cause bleeding on his brain, Joshua Lee Hyland could be given as much as a life prison term, court records show.

   Hyland was arrested at 11:03 am on Aug. 21 at OU Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City where the baby was transferred from the Stillwater Medical Center, according to an affidavit filed with the charge by Stillwater Police Detective Mary Kellison.

   Dr. Mary Stockett of OU Children’s hospital said the mother told her that when she bathed the baby on the night of Aug. 19, she “didn’t notice any bruising on his buttocks area.

   “Dr. Stockett said that (the mother) stated (the baby) went to sleep that night and woke up but was easily put back to sleep. Dr. Stockett advised (the mother) said (the baby) was doing well in the morning when she left him with Joshua to go to work (on Aug. 20).

   “Dr. Stockett advised Joshua made statements that he fed (the baby), and he became fussy around 11 am. Joshua made statements that he fed the baby a little later. The baby was fussy and Joshua made statements that he patted the baby on the back. Joshua made statements that he taped up the black-out curtains thinking the light was an issue for the baby.

   “Dr. Stockett stated that Joshua then observed the baby to be unresponsive or have what she refers to as altered consciousness and weird breathing or irregular breathing. Dr. Stockett advised Joshua called (his wife), who then responded home and they took the baby to Stillwater Medical Center.

   “Dr. Stockett advised because of the frontal subdural hematoma, the unresponsiveness or altered consciousness, irregular breathing and bruising to a child in an area that is not accessible to the child who is not mobile, her medical opinion is that of non-accidental head trauma. Dr. Stockett also advised non-accidental head trauma research shows that symptoms appear very quickly after non-accidental head trauma occurs,” the affidavit alleged.

  The detective confirmed that the baby’s mother arrived at work at 7:36 am on Aug. 20 and left work at 12:23 pm, the affidavit said. There are no other children living in the residence, the affidavit said.

   “Joshua Hyland was at home with the baby while (his wife) was at work. No one else was in the home during the time the baby received the frontal subdural hematoma when the baby began having altered consciousness and irregular breathing,” the affidavit alleged.

   “I confirmed with Dr. Stockett if she thought (the mother) could have done something to the baby before she left to go to work, and we wouldn’t see the results until later. Dr. Stockett told me no, and that symptoms appear very quickly after non-accidental head trauma occurs, and the only one with the child at the time was Joshua. It should also be noted that Joshua has failed to provide any explanation for the child’s non-accidental trauma,” the detective alleged in her affidavit.

   According to information provided to Stillwater police by a social worker at OU Children’s Hospital, “Joshua is either self-employed or works from home and cares for the baby while (his wife) is working,” the affidavit said.