THIBODAUX, La. (WGNO) – A Thibodaux man is behind bars and a toddler is in critical condition after the man reportedly squeezed the child tightly and “bounced” the toddler so the child would stop “fussing.”
According to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called about 12:30 a.m. Monday to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, where a toddler was unresponsive due to head trauma.
Investigators learned that the child’s mother had left the toddler in the care of Rashun Reed, 30, while she went into another room.
Reed brought the child to her a few minutes later. The toddler was not breathing.
The child was taken to the ER in Thibodaux and then transferred to Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. The toddler remains in critical, but stable condition.
Investigators said the child’s injuries were consistent with being shaken violently.
When questioned, Reed told detectives the child had started “fussing,” so he started bouncing the child and “squeezing” the child tightly while trying to quiet the child.
Reed was arrested for second degree cruelty to a juvenile and taken to the Lafourche Parish Jail.
While officers were escorting Reed, they noticed him pick up an object from the ground, later determined to be a cigarette.
When officers questioned Reed about the object, he attempted to consume it. Officers grabbed Reed’s arm to prevent him from doing so, and Reed pulled away from officers and began resisting violently, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the struggle, Reed struck one of the correctional officers in the face. He also caused damage to a door when he struck it with his foot.
He was booked for second-degree cruelty to a juvenile, resisting an officer with force or violence, battery of a police officer, and simple criminal damage to property. His bond is set at $126,000.