A Queens father accused of brutally attacking his 13-week-old daughter while babysitting her faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Juan Gomez, 23, of Ozone Park, allegedly inflicted a series of injuries on his infant child. The child was taken to Schneider Children’s Hospital last week with bruises to her chest and eye, a healing fracture in her foot, a fractured ankle, a healing fractured to the lower leg, a bite mark to the right leg, 17 fractured ribs, a lacerated liver and difficulty breathing due to a disruption to the lining of the lung.
"The extent of the physical injuries that this innocent and helpless child suffered in just the first few weeks of her life is beyond comprehension," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. "That they were allegedly committed by her father boggles the mind. This case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
District Attorney Brown said that, according to the charges, Gomez took care of his daughter, Hailey, while the infant’s mother worked. Toward the end of January, he was alone with Hailey and became frustrated because she would not stop crying, according to the charges.
Gomez then allegedly bit the child on the right leg, leaving a bite mark. To conceal what he had done, Gomez allegedly bathed the baby for the following week so nobody could see the bite mark.
In statements made to police and prosecutors, Gomez allegedly said that he would grab his daughter by the feet and ankles and push her legs back until the feet and ankles were bent back onto her chest, that he head butted the baby in her head and that his head piercings caused bruising to her head, and that he would throw his daughter up in the air –- about a foot –- and catch her by placing his hands over her rib cage.
Gomez awaits arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on charges of first- and second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
