MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Kurtis Allen Lamka, 26, has been charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly shaking his five-week-old son, severely traumatizing the newborn, police say.
Middletown Borough Police responded to the initial call about the incident. It was reported to them by Dauphin County Children & Youth Services that a very young child was in serious condition at Hershey Medical Center.
Once arriving at the hospital, police were told that the child was dropped on the arm rest of a couch, and the doctor confirmed that the child suffered a retinal hemorrhage as well as severe internal bleeding around the brain.
The child was reportedly brought in earlier in the day for a lump in his groin, of which doctors said could be a hernia, but said that otherwise the child was healthy. He was brought into the hospital less than 12 hours later due to a seizure and was rushed into emergency surgery.
During the hospital stay, doctors determined that more had to have happened to the child due to the extent of his injuries and that the child may die. This is when it was determined through investigation and interviews with the child's father and mother that Lamka was a suspect in the crime.
Lamka claimed that he had been taking care of both his son and 3-year-old daughter and that he dropped his son by accident.
A re-enactment was conducted of the incident with Lamka's consent. He claims that after checking his son for injuries, he placed him in a "bouncer," toy for children, which shakes the child.
Lamka also claimed that it was after his wife returned home that Lamka called EMS as they were concerned their child was seizing.
On Feb. 7, however, Lamka admitted and confessed to shaking his son after volunteering to speak with law enforcement.
Lamka was transported to the Central Booking Center for processing and arraignment.
Doctors say that Lamka's son is still experiencing "constant" seizures in his brain, has a contusion on his brain, and bleeding blood vessels.
