Fatal Child Abuse Charges Filed Against Cuba Man

A Cuba man is accused of causing the death of his infant daughter after allegedly shaking her in an effort to get her to stop crying and injuring another one, possibly causing permanent brain damage.

The infant passed away on Sept. 16

Erick Z. Ford, 28, has been charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of first-degree domestic assault.

Ford is being held on a $465,000 bond.

According to the probable cause statement, Cuba police were dispatched to Peartree Lane on Sept. 13 for the report of a three-month-old infant female that was unresponsive, not breathing and cool to the touch.

On Sept. 14, police received a medical affidavit that said one of the infants had suffered a “subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage” — bleeding under the covering of the brain — and “diffuse cerebral edema” — swelling of the brain.

The affidavit reported that the doctor had “reasonable cause” to suspect the infant had been the victim of child maltreatment — abusive head trauma.

On Sept. 15, police received another affidavit reporting the other infant had suffered a “bilateral subdural hematoma” — bleeding under the covering of the brain on both sides — and a “left posterior parietal skull fracture.”

The infant needed immediate emergency surgery due to the bleeding and she may have permanent brain damage.

Read more on this story in the Sept. 27 issue of the Independent News.