HARTFORD CITY, Ind. — A Hartford City man has been charged with 26 counts of domestic battery and neglect after he reportedly abused his nearly 2-month-old child, causing the baby to have multiple broken bones, head injuries and fractures.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, filed in Blackford County on Thursday, 20-year-old Kyle Weiss was charged with 13 counts of domestic battery with serious bodily injuries to a person under 14, a Level 3 felony; and 14 counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injuries, a Level 3 felony.

Detectives with the Blackford County Sheriff’s Office were made aware of a report of child abuse involving a nearly 2-month-old child in late August when the infant was in a children’s hospital. Officials reported that the child had multiple fractures in their arms and legs, a broken bone in their arm, possible broken ribs and a head injury.

Both parents, including Weiss as the father, initially denied harming the baby. In an initial polygraph test given to the mother, the documents read she “had performed well and showed no signs of deception.”

Initially, prior to the polygraph, the documents said Weiss named other suspects he believes could have given the child injuries. Weiss did say that the child sustained a shoulder injury after the infant fell from the couch.

During Weiss’ polygraph, officials asked him if he caused any of the injuries, which he responded no. Detectives also asked If he had ever done something in anger that he regretted or lied to someone in a position of authority, both of which he also denied.

Officials said in the documents that Weiss had failed the polygraph test. The documents state that as conversations continue between Weiss and law enforcement, Weiss reportedly said there were times that Weiss would “yank” the child out of the car seat in a forceful way when he was upset.

Detectives also said that Weiss told them that when changing the child’s diaper, he would grab the infant by the legs in a forceful way, causing injuries to the child’s arms, wrists and legs. As a result of the interview, detectives claimed that Weiss admitted to the following fractures that occurred from the following events:

• Fractured clavicle: falling from the couch;
• Forearms: when he grabbed the child by the wrists out of the car seat;
• Legs: from grabbing the child by the legs to change their diaper;
• Ribs: after he “snatched” the child up to change their diaper.
• Pelvic area: does not know how it was broken.

In relation to the head injury, Weiss initially said that he “did not recall doing anything to (the child’s) head.” However, the documents said that Weiss later admitted the baby was in the car seat when he “tossed” the car seat towards the couch with the child still in it during an argument with the child’s mother.

Weiss stated in the documents that the infant’s head “smacked” the hardwood floor and the child began to cry.

“He explained that he did not know (the child) was not buckled in and that (the child) fell out of the car seat when he tossed it,” the documents read. “…(The detective) asked what was going through his mind when he did this to (the child), he stated nothing and that it was ‘blank.’ (The detective) asked why he didn’t take (the child) to the hospital, he stated that (the child) didn’t seem hurt but then he realized what he was doing to (the child.)”

As of Friday, no other documents had been filed in this case.