A 25-year-old Rolla man was arrested Wednesday morning in connection with a 4-month-old infant who suffered severe injuries after being shaken.
Sammy Joe Mayberry was arrested without incident at his parents home in the 200 block of South Cedar St. Mayberry was charged with second-degree assault and booked into the Phelps County Jail with a $25,000 bond.
The infant boy is presently listed in “stable condition” after recovering for 10 days at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Hospital staff said it was too early to determine whether the infant will suffer any permanent brain damage, according to a report issued from the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department.
The 23-year-old mother of the baby reportedly left the infant in the care of Mayberry, her boyfriend and cohabitant, at their home in the 18000 block of State Route B in rural St. James on Nov. 16. When she returned from shopping, she found the baby in a “lethargic and non-responsive” state. She notified medical authorities, and the baby was taken to Phelps County Regional Medical Center, where deputies responded to a report of child abuse, according to the Probable Cause Statement filed with the 25th Circuit Court.
The infant was treated at PCRMC and then transferred to St. Louis Children’s Hospital where doctors determined the baby suffered “a subdural hematoma caused by acceleration-deceleration dynamic loading (shaking).”
According to the PCS, Mayberry admitted holding the baby “up in the air, not supporting (his) head, moving him side to side.” Mayberry also told PCSD detectives he didn’t know his own strength and may have shaken him too hard.
The mother filed three petitions with the court on behalf of herself, the baby and her 4-year-old daughter seeking protection against Mayberry. An adult and two child protection orders were issued by the court on the same day Mayberry was arrested.
In conjunction with the protection orders, an adult abuse hearing is scheduled at 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Phelps County Courthouse.
A conviction of the Class B felony offense of assault in the second-degree carries a possible sentence of five-to-15 years in a state prison.
