Broken Bow father arrested after 15-day-old infant severely injured

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (KNOP) - A Broken Bow man has been arrested after his 15-day-old baby was hospitalized with severe injuries.

Adam Schaefer, 30, was taken into custody after Sgt. Chris Henderson responded to the Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow on Sept. 29 for a report of an infant with a head injury. The baby was later transferred to Children’s Hospital in Omaha for further treatment.

Court documents show the infant suffered extensive bruising, a subdural hematoma, a left parietal fracture, an extra axial hematoma, and a right parietal skull fracture.

Schaefer initially told medical staff that the baby was injured when he accidentally hit the child’s head on a car door while placing him in a car seat. However, a radiologist’s scan indicated that the injuries did not match Schaefer’s account, according to police.

During the investigation, authorities discovered Schaefer provided a different version of events to Department of Health and Human Services staff. A Nebraska State Patrol investigator found that Schaefer admitted to slapping the infant three times before placing him in the backseat of a car after a drive to calm the fussy child.

Schaefer is charged with intentional child abuse resulting in injury and false reporting. His bond is set at 10% of $250,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 10 a.m.

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