A 6-week-old infant girl was evaluated for head injury Wednesday after a 24-year-old Brainerd man allegedly squeezed the baby too tightly when he was upset over her crying.
Derek Scott Schmeling, 24, was arrested Wednesday night for malicious punishment of a child and third-degree assault after the infant's mother found fresh bruises on the child's legs and head. The mother left the infant in Schmeling's care for just over an hour when the alleged assault occurred.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Crow Wing County Attorney's Office, the mother went to a friend's house a few blocks away after picking up Schmeling from work at about 9:30 p.m. When she returned, the infant was screaming in her crib. The mother wanted to check on her, the complaint stated, but Schmeling said the baby was fine and to let her cry.
The mother went to check on her anyway and found she needed a diaper change. When taking off the infant's onesie, the mother noticed bruises that allegedly were not there earlier. The infant's grandmother told police she was with the infant and her mother earlier in the day and there were no bruises.
When police responded to the address on the 1300 block of Quince Street, they learned Schmeling had fled the home on foot. The infant was transported to Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, where a doctor concerned about possible head injury recommended the infant be transported via ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital for further evaluation.
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Police located Schmeling at his mother's home on the 1300 block of 14th Avenue Northeast. Schmeling allegedly told an officer he knew why police were there, stating he thought it was about the baby. Schmeling was placed in a squad car while officers interviewed his mother.
Schmeling's mother told police she had just arrived home from work when Schmeling called her and asked her to pick him up near Giant Wash, 1224 Oak St. Schmeling allegedly told his mother "he had really messed up" and later said the baby was crying.
"Schmeling then admitted to giving her a couple of little squeezes but did not mean to hurt her," the complaint stated.
Officers then spoke with Schmeling, who agreed to give a statement on the incident. While the infant's mother was at her friend's house, Schmeling told police the baby was having stomach issues and was screaming the whole time.
"Schmeling said that he was all stressed out and did not think that he had squeezed her that hard," the complaint stated. "Schmeling admitted to squeezing (the infant) pretty good on her thighs once. Schmeling also admitted to squeezing the left side of her neck while he was holding her and trying to feed her. Schmeling admitted to being upset when he squeezed her, but felt bad afterwards."
Schmeling was charged Friday in Crow Wing County District Court with two felony counts of malicious punishment of a child and felony third-degree assault of a victim under four years old. The charges against Schmeling each carry a penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. According to Minnesota court records, Schmeling has one petty traffic-related conviction and no previous convictions for assault or malicious punishment.
CHELSEY PERKINS may be reached at 218-855-5874 or chelsey.perkins@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchChelsey .
