A man and a woman find themselves facing accusations of child abuse after a newborn ended up in the hospital with numerous broken bones and bite marks. Detectives rushed to Phoenix Children's Hospital on August 1st in response to a distressing situation involving a two-month-old baby with fractures and bite marks on an arm and a leg.
The parents of the child, 24-year-old James Lawson III and 21-year-old Stephanie Komphabay, underwent interviews but struggled to provide any reasonable explanation for the injuries sustained by the infant.
Court documents reveal that investigators obtained a search warrant for Lawson's and Komphabay's cell phones, where they discovered images of the baby's injuries dating back to July 1st. These injuries included facial bruises, eye swelling, a bloody lip, and a forehead abrasion.
Further investigation of Lawson's phone data unveiled disturbing searches such as "If you choke baby hit the head get lump" and "can you put ice on newborn head." Lawson tried to justify the injuries by claiming that the child had been "fighting him and scratching herself."
Prior to the baby's admission to Phoenix Children's on August 1st, Komphabay had taken the child to a pediatrician due to a swollen leg. While at the pediatrician's office, Lawson allegedly warned Komphabay not to disclose anything and instructed her to "keep her mouth shut" concerning the child's injuries.
Later on, Komphabay revealed to the police that she had witnessed Lawson abusing the child. According to court documents, Lawson would grab the baby's jaw with both hands, forcibly close the mouth, and lift the child by the jaw, causing the feet to dangle, all while claiming to know what he was doing.
Komphabay stopped questioning Lawson about the injuries because he would become upset and defensive.
Despite all of this occurring over the course of a month, Komphabay did not report or intervene, resulting in the victim suffering even more severe injuries.
On October 5th, Lawson and Komphabay were arrested and placed in custody, both facing charges of child abuse. The child has since been released from the hospital and is under the care of the Department of Child Safety.
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