COLLEGE STATION, TX — A College Station man has been arrested after his child was admitted to the hospital with 14 rib fractures and several other injuries.
According to the probable cause statement, on November 3, a detective with the College Station Police Department was informed by medical staff of an injury to a child that took place at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of Krenek Tap Road.
Medical staff at McLane Children's Hospital in Temple reported that an infant had 14 rib fractures, a brain hemorrhage, a fractured-healing femur, a fractured-healing pelvis, frequent multifocal epileptiform discharges and "too numerous to count" seizures.
The detective was also told that the infant's father, 20-year-old Eliezer Cua, was informed of the injuries.
On Wednesday, November 4, the detective made contact with Cua.
The father told authorities that on Friday, October 23, he was carrying the boy inside his bedroom when the infant fell out of his arms. Cua said the child fell and landed on the floor face first.
The father said he did not see any injuries, and did not take him to be checked by a doctor.
Around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 6, the detective was told that Cua had admitted to following down the stairs inside of the apartment while holding the infant. The tipster said Cua said he knew the child was injured during the fall but did not tell anyone about it. Cua also admitted he wanted to talk to authorities.
Around 6 p.m., the detective met with Cua at his work. Cua told the detective he initially lied about the cause of his child's injuries.
He then told authorities that on Sunday, November 1, he was carrying the infant as he walked down the stairs to go from his bedroom to the kitchen. Cua said he tripped about halfway down the stairs and lost control of the infant.
The father told the detective he could not remember what happened but believed he may have landed on the child during the fall.
The infant allegedly began crying frantically for a short moment. Cua said the baby's breathing also lessened.
The father told authorities he then noticed his son's eyes roll to the back of his head. He said the baby stopped breathing for about two to three minutes.
Cua said he began patting the baby's back to get him to breathe again. Once he started breathing again, the father allegedly put the baby to sleep until he left for work and left the child in the care of a family member. Cua told the detective he did not tell anyone about the fall.
On Monday, November 23, Cua was interviewed by a special agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety at the College Station Police Department.
Cua told the agent that another incident had occurred between October 23, when he said the baby fell out of his arms, and November 1, when he fell down the stairs with the child.
It was later determined that this second incident happened on October 28 while Cua was watching his son.
The father told the special agent that the baby would not stop crying when he became angry for not being able to sleep.
Cua admitted to authorities that he placed the baby in his arms and began "squeezing him with all his force to stop him from crying." While squeezing his son, Cua said he bent over forward and began "facing all his weight" on the infant while leaning/laying against the footboard of his bed.
Cua told authorities he did this for what he believes was two minutes until the child stopped crying. When he noticed the infant not breathing, Cua allegedly tried patting the baby on his back to get him to breathe again. The child allegedly started to breathe again, then fell asleep shortly after.
Cua admitted that he did not informed anyone what happened and the child had stopped breathing for approximately two to three minutes.
The father told authorities he was frustrated and upset because he was lacking sleep due to Johnny's crying. He said he wanted to keep Johnny quiet so he could sleep a little longer, since he only slept an hour to an hour and a half before he would have to leave for work.
Cua was booked into the Brazos County Jail on December 9 for two counts of injury to a child. He is also being held on an immigration hold through ICE.