Man 'regrets' hurting infant

JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS

STOCKHOLM — A Canton man accused of breaking the leg of his girlfriend's 2-month-old son Monday told state police investigators he hurt the baby accidentally.

Jesse Hollinger, 21, of 6632 Route 11, was charged Tuesday night with second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in Massena Town Court and ordered held in St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $20,000 bail.

Michelle L. Kent, a physician's assistant at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Potsdam, told investigators the injury was consistent with abuse. The baby, Billy Foster Jr., also had multiple bruises on his neck and marks on his thigh and around his mouth. He was transferred to Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, Vt.

In his statement, Mr. Hollinger said he was falling asleep with the baby on his lap when the child started to fall backward. When he grabbed for him, Mr. Hollinger said, he heard a snap.

The child's mother, Coral A. Pierce, 21, of 1288 Old Market Road, told police Mr. Hollinger offered to care for her son, who had been ill with the flu, early Monday so she could sleep. When she awoke at 7 a.m., Mr. Hollinger left for a job fair and she discovered the injury while she was changing her son's diaper.

"I immediately noticed a bruise on his right thigh," she said in her statement. "The entire time Billy was just screaming and kicking his left leg, but his right leg wasn't moving."

She sent Mr. Hollinger a text message accusing him of breaking the baby's leg and received a response from him several hours later acknowledging what had happened.

Mr. Hollinger told investigators he regretted what he did.

"I never meant to hurt Billy and I'm very sorry this happened," he said in his statement. "I was too tired this morning and didn't know how hurt Billy was to say anything to Coral."