Miami Standard (Clay County, WV) – A 41-year-old father in West Virginia faces serious allegations of inflicting severe harm on his 3-month-old daughter, reportedly acting out of frustration after a long day by squeezing the infant.

On Saturday, Timothy L. Ferrebee was arrested and faces charges of child abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian, as well as strangulation, suffocation, or asphyxiation, according to court documents examined by Law&Crime.

Jerri Ferrebee, 36, the former spouse and current partner of Timothy Ferrebee, has been taken into custody and faces charges of child neglect leading to injury and failure to report. It has been reported that she is not the biological mother of the child.

On Saturday, officers from the West Virginia State Police Clay County Division answered a call from Summersville Regional Medical Center concerning an injured infant, according to West Virginia MetroNews. Given the critical nature of the infant’s health, she was moved to Ruby Memorial Children’s Hospital in Morgantown for expert pediatric treatment.

The baby allegedly experienced internal injuries to both lungs and had air trapped in her chest, necessitating urgent surgical intervention. The victim sustained bruising and a laceration on her esophagus, necessitating surgical intervention. In the end, the individual required a medically-induced coma.

Following a custody exchange with Timothy and Jerri Ferrebee, the victim’s biological mother is said to have taken her daughter to the hospital without delay. Law enforcement quickly arrived at the Ferrebee residence and took Timothy Ferrebee into custody.

A report from Charleston, West Virginia, by ABC affiliate WCHS reveals that Timothy Ferrebee first denied knowing how his daughter was injured, stating he had inquired about the injuries with his girlfriend the night before.

Upon further inquiry, he reportedly started to suggest that he could be accountable for his daughter’s injuries, allegedly stating that he “squeezed” the infant in an attempt to “relieve it of built-up feces.”

Under pressure, Timothy Ferrebee reportedly confessed to feeling “frustrated” after a long day at work and enduring a “verbal assault” from his girlfriend, which he unfortunately directed towards his newborn.

“Timothy consistently stated he was not frustrated with the infant, instead stating that the infant was just what happened to be in front of him while he was venting those frustrations in the form of squeezing the infant,” the complaint reportedly said.

According to reports, the incident took place while Jerri Ferrebee was away from home for approximately 40 minutes to purchase soda, as stated by the Oak Hill West Virginia ABC affiliate WOAY. She mentioned returning home and observing “busted capillaries appearing as red marks on the infant’s stomach,” yet chose not to report the incident or seek medical assistance.

Officials highlighted that Jerri Ferrebee worked as a special needs educator aid within the Clay County School District, which imposed a legal obligation on her to report any instances of physical abuse involving a child.

The complaint outlines that Ms. Ferrebee faces charges of gross child neglect leading to serious bodily injury to the infant, citing her failure to respond in identifying the marks on the 3-month-old’s body and report them to the proper authorities. “This accusation stems directly from Ms. Ferrebee’s inaction for nearly eight hours while the infant suffered from extended loss or impairment of its bodily organs.”

Timothy Ferrebee is now in custody at Central Regional Jail with a bond set at $100,000. Jerri Ferrebee remains in custody with a cash-only bond set at $55,000.

Source: Dad ‘squeezed’ newborn into medically-induced coma: Police