Man charged with beating infant twins

Samuel David Harris (Source: Bullitt County Detention Center)

 
Conny Spann  and Lt. Scott McGaha

SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A four-month-old Bullitt County baby is on life support and his mother's boyfriend is behind bars accused of beating him. The baby's twin brother is also in intensive care at Kosair Children's Hospital.

Eighteen-year-old Samuel David Harris of Louisville is in the Bullitt County Detention Center charged with assault. If the baby boy dies, Harris will be charged with murder.

"These are babies that were very, very loved," said the twins' aunt, Conny Spann. "It's been pretty devastating. They just now were getting to where they were laughing, you know,  smiling at you and recognizing you, things that make them laugh and things that make them cry."

Now one of her nephews is on life support in intensive care after investigators say he was severely beaten by their mother's boyfriend at the Whispering Oaks Mobile Home Park.

According to a police document, Harris got mad because the baby was crying and tossed him onto the couch. The baby hit his head and Harris started shaking him. The baby's brother was also brought to the hospital to be checked out.

"He's got some severe injuries also to him - trauma to the head, some internal injuries in the stomach and some bones that look like they've been broken in the past," said Lt. Scotty McGaha with the Bullitt County Sheriff's Office.

That baby is expected to recover, but McGaha says doctors found evidence this kind of abuse has been going on for awhile.

"The question is is the prior injuries to these children," McGaha said. "Was it him? Was it somebody else? And that's part of the investigation that's ongoing."

Also part of the ongoing investigation is the twins' mother. But no charges have been filed against her.

Harris was in court Wednesday morning where he pleaded not guilty. He is being held on a $500,000 cash bond.

(Edit:Ruby)