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Left: Jasper Shick. Right: Sarah Rediker (Nassau County Sheriff’s Office).
In a shocking case of child abuse, a Florida couple is facing serious charges after an incident involving their infant son. Authorities report that the father allegedly broke their 6-month-old’s femur while changing the child’s diaper. Despite realizing the severity of the injury, the couple reportedly chose not to seek immediate medical assistance.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office revealed on Facebook that Jasper Shick, aged 34, and Sarah Rediker, aged 36, have been charged with felonies related to the incident. Shick is charged with aggravated child abuse and is also accused of providing false information to investigators. Rediker faces charges of child neglect and making a false report of child abuse.
The situation came to light after the baby’s grandmother reportedly took the injured child to a local hospital, where medical staff discovered the broken femur. The sheriff’s office stated that medical professionals alerted investigators on Monday night due to the child’s severe injuries, which required surgical intervention.
Detectives visited the family home in Fernandina Beach, where the grandmother allowed them entry. Inside, they found concerning conditions, including a crib placed inside a closet, numerous empty alcohol cans scattered across the main bedroom, and items associated with marijuana, which were easily accessible to the child.
While inside the home, authorities observed a “baby’s crib inside a closet,” several empty alcohol cans throughout the main bedroom, and numerous items “consistent with marijuana” that were “well within reach of the victim,” according to cops.
“Small torches, camping propane tanks, bongs, and containers with loose marijuana were also within the victim’s reach,” the sheriff’s office says. “The investigation revealed that the suspects were attempting to change a diaper around 7 p.m. on Monday when the victim became fussy because they are teething.”
Police allege that Shick “squeezed the child so tight, he knew he had hurt the child.” The couple did nothing, and it was the baby’s grandmother who ultimately brought the infant to the hospital after she arrived at their home around 10 p.m., cops say.
“Detectives later learned the father had drank and smoked marijuana before the incident,” the sheriff’s office says.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper described the case as “heartbreaking,” with the alleged abuse being inflicted on a “defenseless baby,” per the top cop.
“Protecting children, especially at this most vulnerable age, is my top priority,” Leeper said in a statement.
Shick and Rediker were both being held on $75,000 and $50,000 bond, respectively, after being arrested and charged on Tuesday. A no-contact order has been filed against both of them, according to online court records.