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Update: Infant possibly "slapped"
Posted: 07.13.2011 at 9:38 PM
Updated: 07.14.2011 at 6:25 AM
Rachel Welte

Rachel Welte is the Weekend News Anchor and a General Assignment Reporter.

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Daniel Sheffield  / Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police
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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- New details are released about a case of child abuse.

Tuesday Colorado Springs Police arrested 24-year-old Fort Carson Spc. Daniel Sheffield for child abuse causing serious bodily injury to a child.

Monday police were called to Memorial Hospital to investigate after the baby was transferred from Evans Army Hospital with a skull fracture and subdural hemotoma.

Police said the 8-month-old baby boy was injured in an apartment complex on Westmeadow Drive, near Highway 115 and Cheyenne Meadows Road.

According to an affidavit released Wednesday, Sheffield told investigators several different stories about how his son was injured.

First, he told detectives on the morning of July 6 the baby work up crying and screaming, and when he went to check on him he found two plastic toys in his son's playpen that he believed were dropped in there by the child's older sibling.

Then, in an interview at the police department, Sheffield told officers he was holding the victim and dancing around the dining room table when he lost his balance, fell and knocked the baby's head on the side of the table.

He said he lied to police because he was afraid the Department of Human Services would take the kids away again.

Sheffield added the children had been previously removed from the home after he was arrested for leaving bruises on his older child.

And finally, in a second interview at police headquarters, Sheffield told officials he had slapped the baby twice on the face out of frustration approximately two weeks ago.

He said he also threw a half-full, plastic baby bottle into the playpen where the child was laying on July 6 which he believed caused the victim's injury.

Sheffield also admitted to detectives that he needs help because he can not control his anger.

He is an active duty soldier with Fort Carson, and is a specialist with the 43rd Sustainment Brigade.

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