Man blames toy and a fall for baby’s horrific injuries, but she was abused, AZ cops say

A man was arrested after being accused of abusing his girlfriend’s 4-month-old daughter, Arizona officials said.

David Roman, 27, was babysitting the girl in Buckeye when he called her mom and said he had stepped on a toy, dropped the infant and then fell on her, according to court documents.

Roman and the baby’s mother took her to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where medical personnel determined she had a skull fracture, a brain bleed and 22 broken ribs in various healing stages, documents stated.

The nurse told Roman that police and the child safety department would be notified because of the extent of the baby’s injuries, documents said. By the time officers got there, Roman had left.

Roman was found at the home and told officers what he had told his girlfriend, the probable cause statement said.

When informed of the little girl’s other injuries, he told officials there had been another incident where the baby rolled off the bed, police said.

He said he had noticed a lump on the baby’s head but didn’t tell his girlfriend “because he did not think it was serious,” according to court documents.

Later, he told authorities the baby fell three times while she was in his care, officials said. The first time she fell, he said he placed the baby on the bed before the family’s dog “dragged” her off.

He said he didn’t tell the baby’s mother because he didn’t want to have to “get rid of the dog,” officials said.

Child protective services determined the baby’s injuries could not be caused by any of the events Roman described, officials said.

Roman was arrested and booked on several counts of child abuse and endangerment, according to a Facebook post by police.

Buckeye is about a 40-mile drive southwest from Phoenix.

This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Man blames toy and a fall for baby’s horrific injuries, but she was abused, AZ cops say."