A Missouri father claimed he accidentally inflicted 14 bone fractures on his newborn daughter when he tripped over her.
Richard Leonard, 20, and his wife brought the two-month-old to a pediatrician who then alerted the Department of Family Services hotline of the suspected abuse.
The pediatrician told the parents to take the infant to a hospital where doctors determined that she suffered from 14 fractures in her arms, fingers, ribs, and legs.
The child also had bruises on her back, shoulder, and face. Doctors labeled the injuries as “signs of classic abuse.” The fractures were reportedly in various stages of healing.
Leonard told police he dropped the baby after tripping before changing his story saying he fell on top of her.
The new father then admitted that he couldn’t cope with the stress of moving into a new home and having a baby who was constantly crying.
He told cops he initially dealt with the stress by harming himself, pulling out his hair, and “bruising himself up pretty good.”
