NORTH CAROLINA — A Salisbury man has been charged with felony child abuse after a 2-month-old infant was hospitalized with severe injuries, including bleeding on the brain and bone fractures, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said 37-year-old Kevin Eugene Morrison Jr. was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury. He is being held at the Rowan County Jail without bond under the state’s pretrial integrity act.
The investigation began after the Rowan County Department of Social Services reported to the sheriff’s office that an infant had been hospitalized with injuries consistent with abuse. According to investigators, Morrison called 911 on Dec. 14 from a home on Pineview Circle in Salisbury, reporting that the infant was unresponsive. Emergency medical services transported the child to Novant Health Rowan, and the infant was later transferred to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
Hospital staff determined the child had suffered bleeding on the brain and multiple bone fractures. Authorities said Morrison initially told investigators the infant had rolled off a couch, but medical professionals concluded that explanation did not account for the severity of the injuries.
Detectives and social workers interviewed Morrison during the investigation. According to the sheriff’s office, Morrison later admitted he caused the injuries after becoming frustrated by the infant’s crying. He was taken into custody following the confession.
The child’s current condition was not immediately released.
