Unnamed Infant - 2 Months/ Accused: Kenneth Balser & Torrie Workman - Satellite Beach FL

Child Placed In Protective Custody

POSTED: 3:41 pm EDT April 28, 2011
UPDATED: 4:35 pm EDT April 28, 2011

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. -- A Brevard County couple was arrested Wednesday on charges of abuse and neglect involving their 2-month-old son.

Authorities
with the Satellite Beach Police Department said Kenneth Balser, 20, and
Torrie Workman, 19, were taken to the Brevard Detention Center on
$10,000 bond.
Investigators said they were called to Holmes Regional
Medical Center, where the couple had taken the baby after it suffered a
broken leg.

Police said doctors found bruises and bite
marks on the child during an examination. The baby was taken to Arnold
Palmer Children's Hospital for further treatment and tests.

"The father originally said he heard a popping sound when he was changing the
baby's diaper," Satellite Beach Police Department Cmdr. Brad Hodge
said. "Further tests at Arnold Palmer revealed the child had several
injuries in various stages of healing, including two broken legs and
four broken ribs, and he was underweight and malnourished."

Authorities said the parents couldn't offer an explanation for the child's injuries.

"Clearly, it takes significant force from physical abuse for these types of
injuries to occur and can't be explained away as a simple accident from
changing a diaper," Hodge said. "Since the child has been removed from
the parents, he has gained weight and made significant recovery progress."

This is a perfect example of why the law allowing parents to forfeit all
parental rights should not be limited to 7 days of birth. It would be
far better to allow parents to give up their children than to allow them
to abuse, maim, and in untold numbers, murder the unwanted baby or
child.

A hell of a way to avoid late night feedings and diaper changes.