Ex-Labor and Delivery Nurse Accused of Striking 5-Month-Old, Say Police

A Louisiana man who worked as a labor and delivery nurse is out of a job after he was accused of striking his own 5-month-old baby.

Dustin Clark, 30, was arrested on Tuesday by Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies, one day after his friend brought his 5-month-old baby to the hospital. According to court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate KTVE/KARD, Clark told police that on Sunday, his baby became fussy during a feeding and would not stop crying. He then said he “snapped” and allegedly struck the baby in the head.

When the baby was brought to Morehouse General Hospital in Bastrop, Louisiana, the next day, medical staff diagnosed the baby with a fractured skull.

A nurse at Morehouse General Hospital alerted police to the baby’s injuries, and deputies soon found Clark and interviewed him. According to court documents, the baby was Clark’s adopted child. Clark, who was employed at the time as a labor and delivery nurse at St. Francis Hospital in Monroe, Louisiana, told police that the baby was sitting in a high chair during mealtime.

While Clark was trying to feed the baby, whom Clark told police had been crying all day, he reportedly tried to calm the baby. At some point, Clark told police he “snapped” and slapped the baby in the face. He then had a friend come over to ease tensions.

According to court documents, the friend took the baby to a doctor, who suspected a serious injury and advised the friend to bring the baby to a hospital. After the baby was diagnosed with a parietal bone fracture on the left side of the skull, the baby was transferred to a critical care center in Shreveport.

Clark was arrested and charged with domestic abuse battery and two counts of cruelty to juveniles. He was booked into jail on Tuesday and was released the next day after posting $15,000 bond.

Local ABC and CBS affiliate KNOE reported that St. Francis Hospital fired Clark following his arrest. In a statement to KNOE, a spokesperson for St. Francis Hospital said, “The safety and security of our patients, team members and community are our top priorities. Our team member hiring process is extremely rigorous and includes background checks, multiple reference checks and other nationally recognized best practices. At this time, we can’t share any further details of the situation due to workplace privacy laws.”