Inset: Kaden Manuel Lewis Shrum (Monroe County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Bloomington Police Station in Ind. (Google Maps).
An 18-year-old Indiana man is accused of severely injuring a 9-day-old infant, with authorities alleging that he repeatedly bit the child's face in an attempt to stop the baby from crying.
Kaden Manuel Lewis Shrum was charged July 29 with battery resulting in bodily injury to a person younger than 14, a felony, court records show.
The investigation began July 15 when officers with the Bloomington Police Department, accompanied by officials with the Indiana Department of Child Services, responded to a child abuse report after a pediatrician contacted authorities to report a 9-day-old baby suffering extensive bruising across their entire left cheek, Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN reported.
The infant was taken to a regional hospital for additional treatment, where medical personnel determined the injuries were consistent with bite marks, investigators wrote in the probable cause affidavit.
While at the hospital, Shrum allegedly admitted to both relatives and investigators that he was responsible for the injuries, according to the affidavit.
During an interview at the Bloomington Police Department, Shrum allegedly told investigators he had been watching the newborn when the child began crying around 4 a.m.
According to the affidavit, Shrum said he initially tried to calm the infant by "nibbling" on the baby's cheek. He allegedly admitted that he then placed the child's cheek inside his mouth and repeatedly bit down in what investigators described as a "chomping motion."
Shrum allegedly told police the baby's face looked like a "busted up egg" after the incident.
Authorities ultimately concluded that the bruising on the infant's face matched Shrum's description of what happened and arrested him on the felony child battery charge.
The child abuse case is not the only criminal matter pending against Shrum.
According to court records, he is also facing separate felony charges of battery by means of a deadly weapon and criminal recklessness in another case, as well as a misdemeanor battery charge in an unrelated matter, Bloomington-based WBIW reported. Those allegations remain pending.
If convicted of the Level 5 felony charge involving the infant, Shrum could face several years in prison under Indiana law.
Shrum was booked into the Monroe County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond. A jury trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 11, 2027, in Monroe County.
Follow Law&Crime:
Comments