Infant in critical condition, dad charged with shaking baby

2-month-old hospitalized after suffering head trauma

Matthew Dietsch

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By Christopher Magan, Staff Writer Updated 11:10 PM Wednesday, April 22, 2009

FAIRBORN — Police have arrested a 30-year-old father who allegedly shook his infant child Tuesday, April 21, leaving him in critical condition at Children’s Medical Center in Dayton.

Matthew Dietsch faces charges of felonious assault and child endangering for allegedly shaking his 2-month-old son, Brandon, said Greene County Prosecutor Stephen K. Haller, who approved filing the charges Wednesday.

Medics responded to Vanderlyn Court at 8:38 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a 911 call that the child was unresponsive, said Fairborn police Sgt. Matt Ricketts. At the hospital, it was determined the child had suffered a head trauma.

There is no evidence the infant suffered any other previous abuse and this was likely an isolated incident, Haller said. Dietsch is jailed in lieu of $50,000 bond.

It is the second set of felony charges for abuse of a child filed against a Fairborn man this month.

Brian H. LaPrairie faces murder, felonious assault, child endangering and other charges in the Dec. 29 death of Juliana Berry, the 2-year-old daughter of LaPrairie’s girlfriend, Malak Deek, who also is charged in the child’s death.

An autopsy of Juliana revealed she had been repeatedly abused and suffered from “battered baby syndrome.”

Police charged the couple after a three-month investigation.

LaPrairie was freed April 17 after posting $250,000 bond. Deek remains in the Greene County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

<p class="note">Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com.</p>

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