A 20-year-old Milwaukee father, Jalin White, faces severe charges after admitting that he threw his 8-month-old son against a wall out of frustration while playing a video game. Authorities revealed disturbing details about the incident, which took place in White’s apartment.
According prosecutorswhite was playing NBA 2K and became agitated after falling behind by two points in the final quarter of the game. In her frustration, she allegedly threw her young son against the wall, causing life-threatening injuries.
According WISNWhite appeared in court Saturday, where prosecutors charged him with physical abuse of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm. Deputy Prosecutor Madeline Witte stated: “The defendant has confessed to this incident” and added: “The defendant is also the only person with the ability and opportunity to inflict this harm on the victim.”
The criminal complaint further revealed that White described the incident to detectives by saying, “I heard the wall. It was hard on his head. It was difficult. It was a hard and noisy wall.” Prosecutors reported that the baby now suffers from a traumatic brain injury and is “not expected to survive.” If the child dies, the charges against White will be upgraded to murder.
“This is likely to turn into a homicide,” Witte said, describing the case as involving “a severe level of violence” against an “innocent child” who has suffered multiple injuries. In addition to the brain injury, medical professionals discovered other injuries, including a broken collarbone and six rib fractures in various stages of healing, suggesting a history of prior abuse.
“This appears not to be the first case of abuse, based on the fact that there are multiple stages of healing for broken ribs,” said the court commissioner, who ordered White held on $100,000 cash bail. If convicted, White faces up to 62 years in prison, although the sentence could increase if the baby does not survive.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call Childhelp’s National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or visit Childhelp.org. The direct line is available 24/7.