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Father Says 4-Month-Old's Fractured Ribs Were From Him Hugging The Baby Too Tightly

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BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) -- A Beaver County man is accused of throwing and shaking his 4-month-old son.

Twenty-three-year-old John Crawford, of Beaver Falls, is being accused of abusing his 4-month-old son at his home at Morado Dwellings.

Nobody was home when KDKA's Amy Wadas knocked on the door Thursday. Last Tuesday, police say a 4-month-old baby was having seizures. He was rushed to Heritage Valley Beaver, then flown to Children's Hospital and it didn't look like he was going to make it.

Preliminary reports from doctors at Children's say the infant had bleeding on the brain, at least seven healing rib fractures on the left side of his body and a bucket handle fracture on the left thigh just above the knee.

Crawford told police his son was fine when the baby's mother went to work last Tuesday. He said the infant was crying and wouldn't stop, so he took the baby into the living room where he says he threw the baby on the couch. When the baby's mom was on her way home, Crawford said his son was crying uncontrollably, so he picked the baby up and began to shake him in frustration.

When police asked Crawford about the baby's fractured ribs, he told police that had to come from him hugging the baby too tightly.

The infant is out of the hospital and staying with his mother and grandmother.

CYS is involved in the investigation. Crawford was arrested on Wednesday.

Crawford is in the Beaver County Jail facing multiple charges including aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.

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