Infant whose parents pulled plug on needed oxygen had broken ribs, brain bleed at time of death: Report

Court documents revealed that a 3-month-old Indiana infant who was left off their oxygen machine after being taken home from the hospital also suffered extensive internal injuries that contributed to her death earlier this month.

Per The HeraldJordan R. Leinenbach, 28, and Cassandra M. Potts, 24, are facing criminal charges in connection with the August 1 death of their infant child. The infant spent two months in the NICU before being released on June 8.

The parents were reportedly told to constantly keep the child on oxygen except for bath time. However, court documents alleged that the infant was only put on the oxygen three times between July 11 and 30. Leinenbach reportedly told police that the machine’s memory was full and didn’t record each time the infant was hooked up to the machine.

According to documents, Leinenbach claimed the 3-month-old vomited twice June 29 as they were being fed. The father said it was that evening when the infant’s oxygen levels plummeted, which prompted Potts to perform CPR. The parents took their baby to the hospital at 1:30 a.m.

The Herald reported that doctors at Norton’s Children’s Hospital discovered the child was suffering a brain bleed that wasn’t caused by being born prematurely. An autopsy identified two brain bleeds—on the upper and lower parts of the infant’s brain—that doctors said could only be caused by some sort of trauma. An examiner said the infant experienced hemorrhaging of the optic nerve which was also due to trauma.

The examiner also identified fractures to three of the infant’s right ribs which they estimated were at least two weeks old.

The Indiana couple was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and reckless homicide. According to the newspaper, both parents have denied causing the extensive injuries detailed in the autopsy.

 

[Featured image: Cassandra Potts, Jordan R. Leinenbach/Dubois County Sheriff’s Office]