Local father charged with Neglect

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Detectives and doctors say they don't believe a Newport News father's story.

On February 5th, police responded to a call at an apartment on Turnberry Boulevard. A man at the home told officers he lost his balance and fell down some steps while holding his 6-week-old baby boy.

After examining the child, doctors at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk called Newport News detectives to tell them the baby's injuries were not consistent with a fall down steps.

"They contacted the CHKD Child Abuse Center and Dr. Sterling is the medical director. She comes over and evaluates on the case and she raises the red flag, sounds the alarm. She's like folks, lets stop here. This is not what it appears and she says the injuries appeared to be inflicted and didn't occur as a result of the fall," says Detective Dinah Balthis of the Newport News Special Victims Unit.

They said he had "significant injuries that were starting to heal and the baby had never been treated for those injuries," police spokesman Lou Thurston told WAVY.com.

Police issued warrants for the baby's father, 21-year-old Lindsey Price. Price turned himself over to North Carolina authorities on February 13th. He is in the Rockingham County jail, but Thurston says he will be moved to Newport News, likely next week.

Balthis says she interviewed Price while he was at CHKD.

"We don't believe what he's saying. He needs to come forward and just be honest with us. What he's saying occurred doesn't match what we've found and the facts that we found in the child's injuries and the facts we found at the crime scene. I probably will talk to him again just to see if he wants to tell me the whole story this time," says Balthis.

Price is charged with Malicious Wounding and Felony Child Neglect.

The baby was turned over to his mother who does not face charges according to police.

In the meantime, WAVY.com spoke with Betty Wade Coyle of Prevent Abuse Hampton Roads.  She says it doesn't matter if a child is six weeks or six years old, they will remember abuse.

"You have the emotional scars that aren't as easy to see but certainly impact the child's overall development, but you also have the physical scars and certainly the brain injuries and those can be so varied in the ways they manifest themselves. Many times not really showing up until school and until you get the behavioral issues that go along with them," says Coyle.

"They remember, and that's really one of the scary things. They may not remember exactly, but they know for example, they may smell a smell or hear a sound and they may react in fear, and they don't even know why that is, but they remember."

Coyle says you can help young parents by offering to help keep the baby for a few hours to give them a break. She also says there is a number you can call for help if you can't get your baby to stop crying and you're tired and frustrated. That number is:

1-800-CHILDREN

She says you can also call Kids Priority One at:

757-CHILDREN