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Pinellas Park Dad Accused Of Shaking Infant Son

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

PINELLAS PARK - Authorities have filed more serious charges against a man whose 2 1/2-month-old son suffered serious injuries while in his father's care.

Initially, Eric Smith, 31, was charged Monday with child neglect, with bail set at $10,000. Jail affidavits said that Smith, while drunk, dropped his son Elijah head-first on the floor, causing the infant's skull to fracture. Smith said his hands were wet from having just taken a bath, said Capt. Sanfield Forseth of the Pinellas Park Police Department.

Late Tuesday, a more serious charge, aggravated child abuse, was filed against Smith at the Pinellas County Jail, where he is still being held. Now his total bail is $30,000, jail records say.

A new jail affidavit says the boy's injuries are consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Specifically, Elijah has bleeding on his brain and the blood vessels in his eyes have been bleeding or are ruptured, the affidavit says.

The medical staff at All Children's Hospital, where the boy is being cared for, has determined the injuries are non-accidental in nature, the affidavit says.

At the time Elijah suffered his injuries, father and son were in the family's apartment at 6200 Park Blvd. Eric and the infant's mother also have an 18-month-old child, who has since been taken into custody by child protection investigators.

The children's mother was not in the apartment at the time Elijah suffered his injuries, Forseth said.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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