LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville father and his girlfriend were charged after a 2-month-old boy sustained a near-fatal brain injury.
Cortez Holloway, 34, and his girlfriend Alea Madden, 19, have been charged with assault and criminal abuse of a child under the age of 12.
Louisville Metro Police said they were called Monday afternoon to a home on Dresden Avenue, off Taylor Boulevard in the Wyandotte neighborhood, where an infant was discovered unresponsive.
Madden told police that the baby was acting normally when she put him to bed Sunday night. But she claimed that once in bed, she heard the baby scream and go silent, while Holloway said, “Shut up bro.” But Holloway said the baby was fine when he left the next morning.
Madden stated that the baby’s health deteriorated the following day. According to court documents, she stated that the baby was “cold, shaking, and refused to open his eyes.” She tried to warm the infant with a space heater before calling 911 around 3 p.m.
According to records, the infant is still in critical condition at Norton Children’s Hospital, “on a ventilator with several brain bleeds, hemorrhaging in both eyes, fractures to his arm and legs, bruising to his head, and is unresponsive, dilated and fixed pupils, and agonally breathing.” According to a pediatric protection specialist, the near-fatal brain injury indicates abusive head trauma.
Madden and Holloway pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday. Madden’s bond was set at $50,000, while Holloway’s is $100,000.
Madden and Holloway are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 2.
