Documents: Toddler critically injured when father threw longboard - East Idaho News
Pocatello

Documents: Toddler critically injured when father threw longboard

  Published at  | Updated at

AMERICAN FALLS — A toddler sustained critical head injuries after she was hit in the head by a longboard thrown by her father, according to court documents obtained by EastIdahoNews.com.

The child’s father, 18-year-old Francis Ernest White, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a felony injury to a child charge and a felony enhancement charge of infliction of great bodily injury.

The toddler’s mother told police White had been drinking Vodka and he stubbed his toe on his longboard at their home on Oregon Trail the evening of May 2. Documents state White picked up the board and threw it down the hallway at the same moment the child walked out of a room into the hallway.

The girl was struck in the head, resulting in a “very serious indentation and skull fracture, as well as a laceration,” according to a probable cause statement.

The child’s mother grabbed her daughter and had a family friend drive them to the hospital.

American Falls police officers stopped the vehicle when they noticed erratic driving around 11:25 p.m.

American Falls police chief Brandon Wilkinson tells EastIdahoNews.com the driver handed the toddler to an officer, who administered first aid until an ambulance arrived.

The child was taken to Power County Hospital and “appeared to be unresponsive,” according to court documents. She was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital in critical condition.

White was arrested at the home and told officers he and the child’s mother were arguing “about things in the past” when he became upset and threw the longboard.

Police obtained a search warrant and stated the “house was very unkempt (and) smelled of garbage and cigarette smoke.” An officer noted several unsecured electrical outlets in various parts of the home.

Detectives discovered a running space heater in the toddler’s room pressed up against a television. “The side of the television had warped and was very hot to the touch,” according to documents.

Police noted exposed wires in some of the rooms and broken mirror glass on the bathroom floor.

There were numerous holes in the walls and debris on the floor, according to the probable cause statement, and “a pen pipe with what appeared to be marijuana was found on a shelf.”

Police say the basement was full of garbage, debris, standing water and mold everywhere.

Officers determined the home was a hazard to children so workers with the Department of Health and Welfare were called in take custody of two other children in the home.

White remains in the Power County jail on $250,000 bond. He has six prior underage drinking convictions.

Wilkinson tells EastIdahoNews.com detectives are meeting with doctors Wednesday at Primary Children’s Hospital as part of their investigation.

Related Content

Father charged after child airlifted to hospital with critical injuries

SUBMIT A CORRECTION