An infant suffered broken bones from head to toe and brain trauma at the hands of her Lake Ariel mother, the Wayne County Distinct Attorney’s Office charged Friday.
Emilee Decker, 27, is charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children after her 3-month-old baby was taken to a hospital on Sept. 9 with life-threatening injuries, according to the district attorney’s office. The assault took place in South Canaan Twp., and the baby’s injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
The child also had a fractured skull, retinal hemorrhages and multiple broken bones “from her head to her toes” at varying stages of healing, the district attorney’s office said. A number of the child’s fractures were recent.
Police recovered a deleted photo on Decker’s phone that showed a large discoloration on the baby’s head consistent with a “high-velocity strike,” according to the district attorney. Authorities also found a video of the baby with an altered mental state — a video that medical personnel believe showed the immediate aftermath of being shaken, according to the district attorney.
Decker was alone with the baby immediately before the symptoms appeared, and evidence showed she was the only person who could have caused the baby’s injuries, the district attorney’s office said.
District Attorney Patrick Robinson said the infant’s life was no longer in danger as of Friday, but she is “certainly not doing well.” Robinson believes she may be permanently injured.
Decker remains at Wayne County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 3.
Contact the writer: flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181; @flesnefskyTT on Twitter