Story By: Kathryn Quinn, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
A young mum told of her horror after finding her baby struggling to breath with a mouthful of wet wipes.
The three-month-old baby Liam had his mouth stuffed with wet wipes allegedly by his father Adem D., 21, as he would not stop crying.
Mum Laura S., 21, claims she was in the kitchen making a bottle for her son in Essen, the second largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany, when she heard the baby crying.
According to local media Laura said: “I was standing in the kitchen and could hear Liam crying. I was making a bottle of milk and then when I came into the living room, I saw that Liam had a mouth full of wet wipes. I immediately began to pull them out of his mouth.
“When I shouted at Adem asking him what he had done, he did not say anything.”
Mum Laura grabbed the baby and fled out of the apartment. She then went to the nursery school and picked up her other son, 3-year-old Alessio and fled to Adem’s mothers house.
A friend of Lauras who she told about the incident called police to report the actions. When police arrived they called an ambulance as Liam had bruising on his face.
The father, who had fled to friends, was later arrested, pending further investigations.
Prosecutor Elke Hinterberg said: “According to our investigations so far, we believe the baby was crying and the father wanted his peace and quiet.”
Adem is being investigated on charges of attempted murder as well as child abuse.
Lawyer Arne Michels, 32, representing the mother said: “By treating the child in this way, the father was accepting the child could die as a result. If found guilty he could face up to 1 years in prison.”
Adem, who has a previous conviction for GBH, had also been violent towards Laura.
Laura said: “When I was pregnant with Liam, he wanted me to have an abortion and put a lot of pressure on me. Once he nearly left me unconscious by strangling me,”
She added: “I hope Adem will be punished for what he has done to me and I will get my kids back,”
Liam is being looked after by a foster family whilst the investigations are ongoing and the other child is currently in a home.
The investigations continue.
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