(CAÑON CITY, Colo.) — An arrest affidavit for 21-year-old William Jacobs details what led up to a 10-month-old baby being flown from Cañon City to a hospital in Colorado Springs, where the baby later died due to injuries of suspected child abuse.
According to the affidavit, on Sunday morning, May 21, a detective with the Cañon City Police Department (CCPD) was notified that a baby had been resuscitated at the Motel 6 on Fremont Drive in Cañon City. The baby was taken to the hospital and later flown to Colorado Springs for treatment, where the baby died.
In interviews with law enforcement, Jacobs said he was alone with the baby after the baby’s mother left for work, and when he went to change the baby’s diaper, the baby “went stiff and began making gargling noises.”
Jacobs said he began shaking and slapping the baby on the back in attempts to get the baby to breathe. The arrest affidavit alleges that Jacobs’ story changed frequently when recounting to law enforcement, and he initially admitted he may have shook and hit the baby a little too rough, but later recanted that.
In addition, when patrol officers originally arrived at the motel, Jacobs refused to identify himself, and eventually had to be identified when his state ID was found. The hotel room was described in the documents as “filthy.” Arrest documents state that Jacobs and the baby’s mother, identified as his girlfriend, had been living in the Motel 6 after apparently losing their home to a fire in February or March.
In later interviews, the affidavit states that Jacobs admitted to hitting the baby’s head on a door frame several days prior to the incident at Motel 6, and he also said he bit the baby’s arm “while playing.” His story once again changed on numerous occasions, and he said the family’s dog was actually responsible for the bite, not him.
Detectives asked Jacobs to demonstrate how he would treat the baby when he was frustrated, and he demonstrated on a doll provided by detectives – he would “discipline [the baby] in the same way as his dog.” He would grab the baby by the cheeks and shake them, as well as throwing the baby onto the bed.
Jacobs was arrested on felony child abuse charges, though CCPD said detectives will be filing amended charges through the District Attorney’s office, following the death of the baby.
Police said Jacobs is still in custody and being held without bond. CCPD asks that if anyone has any information in regard to this incident, they are encouraged to notify the CCPD Investigations Unit at (719) 276-5600.
