Kentucky man brutally beats his 3-month-old daughter, leaving her with 27 bone fractures
A man in Madison County, Kentucky has been arrested and charged with multiple counts for assaulting his infant daughter who had to be hospitalized with grave injuries.
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, 24-year-old Sean Dykes was arrested after paramedics and Richmond police officers responded to his residence on May 25 on reports that his three-month-old daughter was injured and suffering seizures.
The infant was rushed to a hospital for treatment, with medical staff having to treat her for 27 fractures in her skull, ribs, spine, arms, legs, hands, and feet. She had also suffered bruises on her head and stomach, and had retinal hemorrhaging, medical records indicate.
Speaking about the incident, Richmond Police Assistant Chief Rodney Richardson said, "She was beaten with his fist in her head. She was picked up and slammed on the floor several times. It’s unimaginable that a father could do this to their daughter."
When questioned, Dykes is said to have told investigators that he became enraged and blacked out before slamming his young daughter against a bed and punching her. He said that by the time he came out of his rage, he found the three-month-old with cuts and bruises on her head.
Court documents indicate that the 24-year-old allegedly said his involvement in the assault was the "only possible explanation" for the infant's injuries. He also claimed that he suffers from multiple personality disorder and that he had recently been under a lot of stress.
Dykes, who is the primary caregiver of the infant, reportedly also expressed his regret over the attack and said he was sorry for the abuse, promising to apologize to his daughter if he could. However, this is not the first time that he has found himself in trouble with the authorities.
In March, his girlfriend and the mother of the infant reported him and complained that he pushed her to the floor and strangled her for 10-15 seconds. She said she had been unable to swallow for two days after the alleged strangulation.
According to an arrest citation issued in connection to the case, Dykes was charged with two counts of assault and one count of abuse of a minor five days after the incident. He is currently being held at the Madison County Detention Center without bond.
"Luckily, with a lot of prayer, I think, and some blessing, she’s still alive," Richardson said of the infant. "Right now other than some long-term effects she may be doing OK."