A nine-month-old baby from Missouri is fighting for his life after suffering severe injuries allegedly at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend.
The baby, named Waylon, was admitted to the hospital with a brain bleed and head bruising, following an alleged incident of child abuse, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Waylon was allegedly dropped on the floor and bear-hugged in an attempt to get him to stop crying.
Authorities said Waylon was found unresponsive, aspirating, and not breathing.
Medical professionals at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City confirmed the infant suffered "abusive head trauma" along with other injuries.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as 28-year-old Jordan Boggess, is currently under investigation. Boggess is the boyfriend of Waylon’s mother.
"He is not able to speak. So we will speak for him," said the infant’s cousin, Jaden Branham, as the family rallies to support baby Waylon, per KY3.
On September 14, Waylon appeared to be a healthy and happy baby. However, just a day later, he was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
"They got to Freeman Hospital in Joplin, and that’s when it was notified that this was not an aspiration and choking kind of situation," Branham explained. "He had some bruising on his head that alerted them that this was a child abuse case."
According to investigators, the incident occurred when Waylon’s mother briefly left the room, placing him in a baby jumper.
When the infant threw up and started crying, Boggess allegedly picked him up and tossed him into the air.
On the second toss, Boggess reportedly missed catching the baby, leading to the child’s injuries. According to reports, he later admitted to authorities that he bear-hugged the child until he stopped crying.
"As a mom, if my child is throwing up, I’m not going to pick him up and toss him up in the air thinking that’s going to help out in any scenario," Branham said, expressing her disbelief at the situation.
Boggess reportedly told investigators that his "sweaty" hands caused him to drop the baby, but medical professionals have diagnosed Waylon with "abusive head trauma."
Waylon’s grandmother, Christa Newman, shared the grim prognosis with WBTV: "They said baby Waylon will not be the same baby. If he makes it, he'll be wheelchair-bound. He will not be able to talk. He will not be able to feed himself."
Waylon’s grandfather, Tyler Burbridge, added: "It's hard. I'm lost for words. As parents, our job is to protect children and be there. This is the hardest fight that I've ever, I've ever had to do."
Despite the initial dire prognosis, Waylon has shown small signs of improvement. According to his family, the infant has begun to open his eyes and move his arm slightly, although his condition remains precarious.
"Whenever you walk into his room, it’s just machine after machine," Branham said, describing the intensity of his medical care. "There's IV pumps everywhere. There's a nurse in the room at all times."
Waylon’s family, including his father, have remained by his side during his hospitalization. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to assist Waylon’s father in his effort to gain sole custody of the child.
Meanwhile, an online controversy has emerged, with some accusing Waylon’s mother, Bessie McCamish, of being aware of the abuse.
In response, McCamish defended herself, writing: "I had no knowledge of the abuse! And he is no longer my current boyfriend. Every single person who knows me knows I wouldn’t let a single person hurt that child!"
A separate GoFundMe campaign has been launched in support of McCamish.
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