A Savage, Minnesota man is in police custody after authorities say he committed the “most severe case of child abuse they’ve ever seen”, breaking 56 bones in his 4-week-old daughter’s body and causing bleeding on her brain.
22-year-old Thomas Edward Ampe was arrested for beating his young daughter after authorities were called to a local hospital where the child was being treated for a fractured rib and bruises.
When police arrived on the scene, X-rays showed 56 fractures in the infant’s arms, legs, ribs and knees while an MRI showed bleeding and bruising on the brain in three areas.
Police say Ampe admitted to occasionally “shaking” the child who has Down syndrome when he became bothered by her constant crying.
Ampe also allegedly admitted to shoving a bottle in the baby’s mouth so hard that it separated her upper lip from the gum, causing it to bleed.
Police say the father also told them he would often grab the infant by the wrists, flip her over and hit her on top of the head with an open hand.
Additionally, authorities say he would often drop her on her back from as high as 1 foot above the baby bed.
Savage Police Capt. Dave Muelken summarized the case saying,
“In my 33 years [as a police officer] this is the most severe case of child abuse I have ever seen.”
Ampe was released from jail August 19 after posting $50,000 bail.
If convicted on the assault charges, he faces a maximum of 20 years behind bars and a $30,000 fine.
