Police Search For Father Who Allegedly Beat Infant In Plainfield, N.J.
PLAINFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police in Plainfield, N.J., on Saturday were looking for a father who allegedly beat and gravely injured 3-month-old infant on Friday night.
Charges against the fugitive – Michael Bell, 34 – already have been approved.
Police were called to a house in the 200 block of Lee Place in Plainfield around 10:35 p.m. Friday, where they found the 3-month-old child severely injured. The child – whose name and gender were not specified – was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick in "grave" condition, Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said in a news release.
Police Search For Father Who Allegedly Beat Infant In Plainfield, N.J.
Bell has been charged with second-degree assault. He fled the house after allegedly assaulting the child, and police were searching for him Saturday.
More charges were expected to be filed against Bell, Romankow said in the release.
Vera Greaves, a Plainfield city councilwoman, told 1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten she was a bit bewildered that such violence could happen in the area.
"I just had hoped that nothing like this would hit Plainfield, and here we are. This is absolutely crazy," Greaves said.
A neighbor fighting back tears described seeing the baby being taken to an ambulance, and how the paramedics were trying to revive him as the baby in the ambulance.
Police believe Bell may still be in the neighborhood, and have been searching abandoned cars and buildings in hopes of finding him.
Anyone with information on Bell's whereabouts was asked to call (908) 654-TIPS or go to uctip.org. Information that leads to Bell's arrest may lead to a reward of $5,000 from the Union County Crime Stoppers.
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