Teen Arrested for 'Cruelty to Child' Charge
Teacher turns in Georgia student for launching baby in YouTube video.
July 4, 2008 — -- The muffled cries of an 8-month-old baby end a chilling YouTube video that has shocked viewers and resulted in the arrest of a teenager who wanted to show the world how "a baby can fly."
The 16-year-old Georgia boy was arrested this week for laying a baby on an inflatable pillow, then jumping on the edge of the pillow to launch the infant into the air and across the room.
"Watching the video made me physically sick," said Col. Duane Sapp of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. "The baby landed on its face, which opens up a whole range of possible injuries to his neck, head and internally."
Police arrested the Lee County High School teenager this week on a felony charge for cruelty to a child and another misdemeanor charge. He is being held in a youth detention center. He could face incarceration until the age of 21.
The baby boy had been left in the care of the family of the teen who'd shot the video -- "Baby Fly" -- which has now been taken down from the YouTube site, according to the police. The teen who shot the video has not been charged.
Police demanded that the parents of the baby take their child to the doctor and the medical report was returned Thursday. "The baby had a full physical and there was no damage," said Sapp. "God is good."
"This is clearly a case of abuse," said Dr. Kristine Williams, an emergency pediatric physician at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "An 8-month-old can't do anything for himself. Babies can't speak for themselves. They are completely defenseless."
In a fall such as this, an infant will usually land on its head, which is heavier and bigger than the rest of its body, according to Williams. The child could have suffered anything from correctable facial injuries to a concussion, or something as serious as a skull fracture or internal bleeding.
"Babies are more susceptible to severe injuries with less trauma than an adult," she said. "The brain can swell if there's enough bruising and bleeding, and it can affect the child's breathing and eventually cause death or severe permanent brain damage."
The baby's parents -- Hugh and Lorna Slaton of DeSoto, Ga. -- left their infant in the care of the family of the videographer while out of town. The adult babysitters had stepped out of the room and were in another part of the house when the teens attempted their stunt.
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